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OF 



ALEXANDER SMITH, 



CAPTAIN OF 

PHE ISLAND OF PITCAIRN ; 

ONE OF THE MUTINEERS 

ON BOARD HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP 

BOUNTY 5 

COMMANDED BY LIEUT. WM. BLIGH. 

WRITTEN BY SMITH HIMSELF, 

ON THE ABOVE ISLAND, AND BRINGING THE ACCOUNTS 

FROM PITCAIRN, DOWN TO THE YEAR 

1815. 



BOSTON: 
PRINTED BY SYLVESTER T. GOSS, 
1819. 






DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit, 

District Clerk'^s Ojffice, 

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the thirteenth day of 
September, A. D. 1819, and of the Forty-fourth Year of the In- 
dependence of the United States of America, CHARLES L, 
SARGENT, of the said District, has deposited in this Office, the 
title of a Book, the Right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in 
the words following, to wit : — ^^ The Life of Alexander Smith, 
Captain of the Island of Pitcairn, ; one of the mutineers on 
board his Majesty's ship Bounty ; commanded by Lieut. Wil- 
liam Bligh. Written by Smith himself, on the above Island, and 
bringing the accounts from Pitcairn, down to the year 1815." 

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, 
entitled '^ An act for the Encouragement of Learning, by se- 
curing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors 
and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein men- 
tioned ;'' and also to an Act, entitled '' An Act, supplemen- 
tary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of 
Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, 
to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times 
therein mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the 
Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical, and other 
Prints." 

JOHN W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. 



PREFACE. 

In offering the life of Alexander 
Smith, to the puhlic, the puhlisher has 
nothing more in view, than gratifying 
still further the interest, already much 
excited, by the late accounts of captains 
Folger, Staines, and Pipon, from the 
Island of Pitcairn. And here it would 
be best to state explicitly, how it came 
into the hands of the publisher. 

Being called in, as passing a house, 
in the District of Maine, last winter, to 
assist the wife, in quieting the rage of 
her husband, taken in a sudden fit ; the 
wife, expressed in strong terms, her de- 
plorable and indigent situatioUjrendered 
still more so, by the ill health of her hus- 
band ; and taking from a chest, a large 
roll of papers, seemingly much soiled, 
which she said, her husband had receive 
ed from a dying Spaniard,on his last voy- 
age to Havana j she begged as a favor, I 



11 

would purchase them, stating her de- 
mand at a moderate price. 

The story her hushand had from the 
Spaniard was, '^ that he, the Spaniard, 
had sailed in a Spanish brig, from Val- 
paraiso, that had made the Island of 
Pitcairn, on her passage across the Pa- 
cific Ocean ; that he was with the boat's 
crew, that landed on the island, and in 
an old chest, in one corner of the hut, 
he espied these papers. Taking an 
opportunity, when unperceived, he se- 
creted them in his shirt bosom. On ex- 
amination ,he found them to contain the 
life of the man, that then acted as chief 
of the Island. Fearing to expose his 
theft on board the vessel, he had care- 
fully preseryed them, until his arrival 
at the Havana ; where, being taken sick 
with the yellow fever he had bequeathed 
them to her husband, who was attend- 
ing him a few hours before his death. '• 



• •• 

lU 



On taking the papers home, though 
in much disorder, I found enough to 
interest me very highly j and I deter- 
mined the next day, to gain a clearer 
account of them, if possible, from the 
husband himself; but unfortunately, 
he had expired in one of his fits, during 
the night. 

After giving the woman, what we 
both thought an ample compensation 
for the papers, I have endeavored to 
arrange them in some order : and now 
offer them to the public, in the precise 
words of Smith himself. 

Some parts are evidently missing — 
but there is nothing added to, or taken 
from the original papers. 



LIFE. 

I WAS born in the town of Gloucester, 
State of Massachusetts, in the year 1760. — 
My father followed the trade of blockma- 
king at that place ; and as soon as I could 
haul a brick into the garret windoAV from 
the ground, (he concluded according to the 
usage of Gloucester) I was strong enough 
to haul a codfish out of water. My moth- 
er next equipped me for a fare to the 
banks. My clothing consisted of two red 
baize shirts, two pair of Marblehead velvet 
breeches, two jackets, several pair of stock- 
ings and nippers, all crammed into a cotton 
and tow bag, at the top of which, I found 
my mother had placed a sheet of ginger- 
bread and a peck of apples. My father 
added to these a large pair of boots, a bar- 
vel, hooks, lines and leads. 

I pass over the events of many fares to 
the banks, and a trip to the Southern 



10 

States, in the winter, to purchase corn, and 
occasional work in the shop. Not liking 
this kind of life, I enlisted as a soldier to go 
to Halifax, there being a king's ship in the 
harbour beating up for volunteers. I re- 
ceived the bounty and was allowed three 
days of grace to spend it in, which I indus- 
triously employed, visiting all my acquain- 
tance^ dancing, ^c. We had some difficulty 
in procuring musick ; but when no other 
could be had, we employed a half crazy 
man, by the name of Whorley, to whistle 
for us. It is true, it took much rum to 
keep his lips moist, but it was the best sub- 
stitute the place would afford. 

We had a rough passage to Halifax. — 
The day after my arfival, I was dressed in 
uniform, with a stiff leather collar round 
my neck, to keep my head up, and placed 
in charge of an orderly, for drill. I found this 
very irksome, and not so much to my mind 
as fishing ; and I determined to make my 
escape the first opportunity. One soon of- 



11 

fered. A vessel from my own town having 
arrived in a leaky state, I agreed with the 
captain to take me on board, when he 
should be ready for sea. He soon gave me 
notice that he should sail at night. Be- 
ing off guard at dusk, I went to the water 
side, stripped all off, leaving my coat and 
stock on the beech. I swam to the vessel 
in a state of nature ; my tow^nsman the Cap- 
tain gave me a covering ; and getting under 
way, a fair wind soon carried me out of an 
orderly's controul ; of whom and of a sol- 
dier's life I was now heartily tired. 

1 was allowed wages as the rest of the 
crew, and continued to do duty before the 
mast, until our arrival at Bilboa. Here I 
left the schooner and entered on board an 
English ship, bound to Bristol, in England, 
at five pounds sterling the run ; feeling a 
great desire to see more of the world, and 
the land of my forefathers. Nothing re- 
markable happened on this passage ; and 
when arrived at Bristol, I received five 



12 

pounds and my discharge. This money 
and a handkerchief of clothes were all my 
possessions ; and knowing my money would 
soon go in such a place, I soon shipped on 
board a small brig, bound to Bombay, in In- 
dia, with dispatches. 

We crossed the equator in forty days 
from leaving port, and received the custom- 
ary visit from old Neptune, on entering his 
territories. 

On the first day of February, 1784, we 
made the Island of Bourbon. Steering 
northerly, through the range of islands, 
extending from Madagascar to Ceylon, 
our captain was induced to anchor under 
one of these numerous islands, for the pur- 
pose of procuring turtle and cocoa nuts, 
with which they all greatly abound. Be- 
ing on shore, as one of the boat's crew, I 
had strolled some distance from the boat, 
in search of fowls' eggs ; and so eager was I 
in the pursuit, that I did not hear the sig- 



13 

nal for the boat, or heed the alarming ap- 
pearance of the weather at the time. — 
Night overtook me in the woods, as I was 
bewildered, and a violent storm of wind and 
rain had commenced. I sought shelter in 
the hollow of an old tree, in the hopes of 
finding my way to the boat in the morning. 
Feeling myself very hungry, I ate some of 
my raw eggs, and washed them down with 
the milk of a cocoa nut. 

My situation during the night was very 
disagreeable. The elements were agitated 
with one of those terrible hurricanes, so 
common in that part of the world. I ex- 
pected every moment the tree I was in 
would be blown over, frequently hearing 
them crack, and fall around me during the 
night. Add to this my anxiety was very 
great about the fate of the ship : the gale 
had increased very much at midnight, so 
much so, I concluded in my own mind, that 
it was impossible any anchors could hold in 
such a gale : and the chance was, if the 



11 



vessel had weathered the Sfale, she must 
have struck adrift and left me alone on the 
Island. 

Towards daylight the gale began to a- 
bate, and 1 crawled out of my hole, wet, 
stiff, and much fatigued with my night's 
quarters. My first act was to climb one 
of the highest trees, ascertain my fate^ if 
possible, and know the 'worst. With great 
difficulty I succeeded in climbing to the 
branches of the highest tree near me, 
whence I had a full view of the ocean, on 
each side of the Island ; but to my unspeak- 
able mortification no vessel was in sight. — 
Where I was, or what was the name even 
of the island, I knev^ not. I observed it 
was covered with trees of various sorts, but 
mostly of the cocoa nut ; that it Avas sur- 
rounded by a chain of reefs, on which the 
sea beat with incredible fury. To despair 
I knew would not do, and considering my- 
self a second Robinson Crusoe, I descended 
the tree, with this consolation, that I should 



15 

not starve, as I had seen plenty of turtle 
round the shores, the day before, plenty of 
wild fowl, and during the night I had heard 
or fancied I had, the grunting of hogs ; and 
at daylight the crowing of cocks. 

Such, however, is the weakness of human 
nature, I with difficulty restrained the over- 
flow of my feelings, when I reflected on my 
solitary and forlorn situation. Something, 
however, must be done, and I determined in 
my own mind, to carefully examine the 
whole of the Island ; and hope deluded me 
that yet some of my shipmates or the entire 
boat's crew might be still on shore. 

I sat down to breakfast on raw eggs and 
cocoa nut, and with a determination to meet 
my fate with the best possible face, I took 
my course towards the sea shore. My way 
lay through a thick grove of cocoa nut 
trees ; the groundwas covered many feet 
by the fall of nuts from the trees ; and as I 
passed over them, I found every nut inhab- 



16 

ited by one or more rats, that came flying 
about my legs at every step. Arriving at 
the sea shore, I could see a great extent of 
horizon, but no vessel or boat to cheer my 
heart. At the distance of about one quar- 
ter of a mile from the shore, appeared to 
be a coral reef, between which and the 
shore, the water w^as perfectly smooth ; in 
which I observed many turtle, and various 
kinds offish. The shores were perfectly 
white, by what at first view seemed sand, 
but upon close examination, was pulveriz- 
ed shells, made smooth by the frequent mo- 
tion of the waves. From the direction of 
the wind during the night, the ship must 
have drifted to sea ; any hope of relief from 
that quarter was now greatly diminished. 

I now began seriously to look about me, 
and form some plan, as to the course best to 
be pursued. I had been much astonished 
in the morning by the crowing of cocks 
round me, and as these fowls are generally 
domesticated, perhaps there might be some 



inhabitants on the island ; but where I had 
yet travelled no marks of them had appear- 
ed. The whole seemed a perfect wilder- 
ness. As my first intention of travelling 
round the island seemed a good one, I con- 
cluded the sooner I set about it the better ; 
and trusting to a kind Providence, which I 
had never yet found to fail me, and cut- 
ting a walking stick with my jacknife, 
which I fortunately had in my pocket, I 
took my course along the northern side of 
the island, towards the western point, judg- 
ing myself at this time, nearly in the centre 
of the two extremes of the island. 

I had fortunately on leaving the ship bent 
a new pair of excellent shoes ; I had on for 
cloathing, a pair of canvas trowsers, a red 
baize shirt, blue w^aistcoat and jacket, and 
an old tarpaulin hat. These, with my jack- 
nife, and a black silk handkerchief, were all 
my earthly possessions ; except I took into 
account a large landed estate of nearly 
2^ 



18 

twelve miles extent, well stocked with 
quadrupeds and game. 

I found no difficulty in walking along the 
shelly beach before described, keeping my 
eyes constantly on the stretch in all direc- 
tions. I found many birds setting on their 
nests, near the sea shore. They seemed 
yery tame, nor would they move from their 
nests, except I disturbed them with my 
stick. They were principally of the ocean- 
ic kind, men-of-war, pelicans, tropic birds, 
boobies, and noddies, either of which I could 
take at my pleasure. Knowing these fowls 
were not of the best kind for eating, I was 
pleased to observe in the branches of the 
trees, turtle doves, which I promised my- 
self would make a variety to my meals, if I 
could but make a fire to cook them ; but, at 
present, my mind was wholly taken up in 
exploring thoroughly my new territory. 

After travelling, as near as I couid guess, 
about five miles, I suddenly came to an ope- 



19 

ning, destitute of trees, and ascending the 
rising ground a little, I could plainly per- 
ceive the island narrower here, than where 
I started from, not being more than three 
quarters of a mile wide. At this place, a 
few small spots on the elevated ground, 
seemed to be good soil : but the remainder 
of this part of the island, to the shores each 
side, was real sand. 

I continued to trudge the beach towards 
the western end of the island, now not far oiF, 
and arriving at the extremity, I observed 
the reef to extend some miles into the sea, 
joined by a similar reef, from the southern 
side of the island to that of the northern 
side. Setting my face easterly on the 
weather or southern side of the island, I 
continued my round. On this side of the 
island the reef seemed to be farther off 
shore, than the other side, and the sea beat 
on it in the most sublime and awful man- 
ner imaginable. Coming to a spot where 
the beach rvas interrupted by a ledge of 



20 

calcarious rocks, extending into the water, 
I was agreeably surprized to find them 
covered with what had the appearance of 
oysters. I opened one with my knife, and 
to my great joy found it very good and 
palatable. As by the sun it was high noon, 
I sat down with my knife and made a hearty 
meal upon these oysters, with the usual 
drink of cocoa nut milk. Laying myself soon 
after under the shade of a tree, I fell into 
a sound sleep ; and when I awoke, felt my- 
self much refreshed, but found by the low- 
ness of the sun, I had taken a long nap. I 
again resumed my travels, having as yet 
discovered no indication of inhabitants. A 
fear now suggested itself to me, that the 
island might have beasts of prey upon it, as 
well as hogs, and how I should pass the 
night, now fast approaching, seemed matter 
of much excitement to me. 

As I approached the eastern end of the 
island, the shore became abrupt, and form^ 
ed perpendicular cliffs on the ocean side^. 



21 

These I was obliged to ascend, and keep 
my \^alk many feet elevated above the wa- 
ter. Towards night I discovered a large 
square hole in one of the cliflfs, in which I 
thought I might shelter myself for the 
night. I crept into this hole, and found it 
sufficiently secure for my purpose ; and set 
myself before dark to pick up as many leaves 
as I could, and now and then I found a bunch 
of dry grass, which I conveyed to the hole 
for my bed during the coming night. I 
now set myself on thinking how I should 
contrive a hut, for my accomodation, and 
where I should pitch it. As I saw no dan- 
ger of trespassing on the land of another, I 
conceived at present I had a right to the 
whole, having given up entirely the hopes 
of inhabitants or ship mates. 

In my voyages to the banks as I had 
much leisure, I had, with the other fisher- 
men, practised what is with them called 
scrimp shoutings that is making sugar bowls^ 
busks and ladles, with only a knife to work 



22 

with, and a bit of dog fish skin to polish 
the work. Being naturally ingenious, I 
thought if I could find a good spot for my 
purpose, I could even with my knife make a 
shelter to protect me from the heat and 
rain. It would be uninteresting to give a 
detail of my reflections at this time ; but 
being weary^ I soon retired to my bed of 
leaves; offering up my thanks to God that 
even in this situation, I had much to com- 
fort me and be thankful for. 

I arose with the dawn much refreshed ; 
and as I had not completed the circuit of 
the island, I concluded it best to finish it, as 
I originally intended ; when I could best 
form a judgment, where to build my house. 
This end of the island I found much wider 
than the other, the woods almost impene- 
trable, the shores bluff and steep ; still the 
reef continued and projected as at the wes- 
tern end far into the ocean, after uniting 
with the reef from the southern side. By 
noon I had completely travelled round the 



23 



island, and arrived at the spot, I first started 
from. Duly weighing in my mind all circum- 
stances, I concluded that the best spot for 
my hut would be at the opening before de- 
scribed, where I should have a full view of 
the ocean on both sides, and a good chance 
of seeing any vessel that passed in sight . 
that being clear of wood, the air would 
have a free circulation, and I should be less 
exposed to wild beasts than in the woods. I 
accordingly trudged on to the aforesaid 
opening, near the western end of the island 
in hopes to prepare some secure place, for 
my night's lodging. 

On arriving there, I collected some of 
the long leaves or branches of the cocoa 
nut, inclining a number towards each other 
at the top, and spreading them at the bot- 
tom like the gable end of a house. A few 
more spread on the sand within the roof, 
answered for the present to protect me 
from the dews and cool of the night. My 
mind was occupied much this night upor^ 



24 



the best means of kindling a fire ; and as 1 
had heard that the Indians produce it by 
rubbing two sticks together, I determined 
to make the attempt in this way on the 
morrow. If I succeeded I promised my- 
self a hearty meal from a turtle, which I 
had the good fortune to turn in the eve 
ning, as she came on shore to deposit her 
eggs. 

In the morning, when I awoke, the idea 
suggested itself to me, that I might be con- 
fused in the calculation, if I did not keep 
some record, and knowing it was April 
fool's day, when I first landed, I cut April 
1, 1784 on the most conspicuous tree near 
me, and placed four stones being April 4th, 
at the foot of the tree, adding one every 
day, while I remained on the island, occasion- 
ally counting them over and beginning a new 
record on the tree; this was of great ser- 
vice to me as will appear in the sequel. 

I next set about the fire by collecting a 
quantity of the driest wood and leaves to 



25 

be found ; having selected two of the driest 
sticks, and stripped off my jacket, I began 
rubbing one on the other. They soon be- 
gan to smoke ; but after quite exhausting 
myself, I left it, quite discouraged. How- 
ever after taking breath, my pride added 
to my wants set me to work again. Ob- 
serving that on the first trial both pieces of 
wood were alike and hard ; I sought one of 
a softer nature, and laying one end of the 
hard stick on the ground, and the other end 
on my knees as I sat on a stone, I placed 
the soft stick across the hard one and with a 
hand on each end, began moving it up and 
down the hard stick ; to my great joy and 
delight it soon blazed, and applying a bunch 
of dry grass, it was immediately on fire, and 
thence applied to the pile already prepar- 
ed. My joy was so great, I danced round 
this bonfire (as I may call it) like a mad- 
man, and shed tears of real joy at my success. 
As I had taken some pains to collect fuel, I 
had no fears of its expiring for the present. 
3 * * 



oa 



The distance from the fire to the beach 
being about one hundred fathoms, I sought 
out my turtle, which was still lying on its 
back, but an immense number of rats were 
feasting on it. They left their feast at my 
approach, but did not seem to be in much 
of a hurry, and stopped eying me with very 
expressive looks, at a little distance. A 
stone thrown at them, soon hastened their 
steps into the woods. The turtle was not 
dead ; but a great part of what is called 
the flippers were consumed by these raven- 
ous creatures. I suppose the weight to 
have been nearly five hundred pounds. I 
found many eggs in the body, and about one 
hundred in a perfect state. Taking as 
much of the meat as I thought would keep, 
and a handkerchief full of the eggs, I re- 
turned to the fire, and laid the meat on 
some live coals to broil ; and covered up 
some of the eggs in embers and ashes to 
roast. With a green cocoa nut, and ^t he 
milk for drink, I made a very hearty and 
comfortable meal. 



27 

As I had no hatchet to cut wood with, 
I concluded it would be better to trust to 
this method of procuring fire^ than to en- 
deavour to keep it alive all the time. I 
however carefully covered it up in ashes 
and earth, which I ever found to answer 
my purpose, while on the island, except in 
heavy rains ; and even these could not 
affect it, under cover of the cook house, 
I afterwards built. I cooked enough at this 
time to last me several meals, and tying the 
meat and eggs up in my handkerchief, I 
hung the whole on the limb of a tree, as se- 
curity against what I began to fear would 
prove my greatest enemies, the rats. 

I had as yet tasted no water, nor had L 
seen any on the island ; but being certain 
of having heard hogs, I concluded they 
could not live without it, as they had not 
the facility of gnawing into a nut, like a rat, 
for its contents. As my roof would serve 
me for the present, I began my search for 
this necessary of life ; not being altogether 



28 

riitislied with cocoa nut milk. I provided 
myself with a stick, sharpened at the end 
like a clam digger, and half a nut to scoop 
the dirt with. Thus equipped I proceeded 
into the wood, not far distant, as the most 
likely place to find water. I began digging 
with my stick and throwing out the dirt 
with the shell, in a hollow to appearance 
more moist than any I had as yet observed ; 
first clearing away the loose nuts, which 
i^lay very thick on the ground. I soon came 
to water, but as yet thick with dirt : I sunk 
the hole as deep as I could, which from the 
abundant flow of the water, I found very la- 
borious. I next placed sticks perpendicu- 
larly round the edges of the well, to pre- 
vent the caving in of the earth* The wa- 
ter was left to settle, and always af- 
terwards afforded me a sufiicient supply. 

At this distance of time, and writing only 
from recollection, I can only go on, and give 
the general progress of my labours, as they 
now occur to me without referring to dates- 



29 

I felt the want of tools very much, and a 
hatchet, In my situation, would have been 
of more value to me than all the gold in the 
world. I was now, however, in possession 
of two essential articles of life, fire and wa- 
ter, and could vary my food enough to satis- 
fy the desire of any reasonable man. Con- 
sidering a house or hut the next essential 
thing for my comfort, I set myself dih'gently 
about one. Near the edge of the wood, I 
found four large cocoa nut trees, at the dis- 
tance of about twelve feet from each other, 
forming a square. It immediately struck 
my mind these would answer for the four 
posts of the house, between which I had 
only to erect a roof, and take my leisure to 
cover the gides. If I had possessed an au* 
ger, I could easily have framed pieces into 
the trees ; but having (as I said before) 
nothing but my jacknife this method was 
impossible. I had learned (as most sailors 
do) to make a kind of thumb line with my 
fingers out of rope yarns ; it is much used on 
board of vessels for pointing blocks, and for 
3* 



30 

seizings: there it is called nettle stuff — 
Having heard that the natives of India make 
ropes and cables of the outer rind of the 
cocoa nut, I set about making line or cord 
from this material, in the same manner I 
had been accustomed to make nettle stuff. 
As I could not morjtice or nail my roof and 
sides to the trees, sailor-like I was deter- 
ed to lash them, knowing however rough 
it might be, 1 could make it strong. 

To work I went, and found no diffiicultj 
in making the cord, and that too of the 
strongest kind, The first day having my 
meals to seek and cook, I made but ten 
fathoms, with all my industry. It was two 
stranded, quite even and so strong with all 
my strength I could not break it. Having 
with great dihgence manufactured as much 
as I thought it possible I should want ; I 
set about my house in earnest. I found a 
species of wood near at hand, that grew 
strait and not unlike American alder, being 
at the root about five inches in circumfer- 



y 



31 

ence. Of these I cut enough to form the 
roof and sides of the house ; but the labour 
was greaty as my knife was none of the best, 
and I had not a proper stone to sharpen it 
on. I, however, persevered and backed 
them to the place of my intended habita- 
tion. This labour with my lashings had 
occupied three weeks, in which time, how- 
ever, in addition, 1 had killed several seals 
of the hair kind, that I had surprised on the 
shore. Their skins I had carefully preser- 
ved, intending them for the roof of my 
house and for my bed if I could collect e- 
nough. The first skin I had pegged to the 
ground for the purpose of drying it thor- 
oughly, but the rats ate it up the first nights 
The others I contrived to spread on tho 
branches of a tree not unlike the teak, ao 
famed, as I have since learned, in Lidia, but 
whose growth was not so large hut thai I 
could easily climb it. 

I began lashing my alders to the trees^ 
commencing a foot from the ground, so pro- 



32 

gressing upwards at about nine inches dis- 
tance from each other on each side. At 
the ends I left a small vacancy for doors, 
and a small square hole each side for a win- 
dow. This I found no difficulty in accom- 
plishing ; it, however, took more lashing 
than I was aware of at first ; but the ma- 
king of it was an amusement to me, when 
fatigued with other labour. Where the va- 
cancies of the doors were left ; I set up 
posts in the ground, and secured the ends 
of the alders to them, as I had to the trees* 

It was a bright thought beginning at the 
bottom, as I could sit on the cross pieces 
already lashed, and fasten those beyond my 
reach from the ground. When I had ad- 
vanced upwards to about nine feet, I cut 
four larger pieces to support the roof, and 
at intervals between the trees, I lashed up- 
right pieces to keep the centers from sag- 
ging. I had much difficulty in finishing the 
frame of the roof; but by perseverance I 
accomplished it. My next care was to col- 



33 

led the long spreading branches of the co- 
coa liut tree, and weaving them in and out 
carefully through the frame, and lashing 
them securely to the roof; in two months 
time, I had a good covering, but not per- 
fectly tight in the roof. This I afterwards 
remedied, by a covering of seal skins, of 
which in addition to my other occupations, 
I had collected a considerable store. 

My inveterate enemies, the rats, devour- 
ed every thing eatable that lay in their way, 
and were even bold enough to attack my 
feet while I lay asleep. To guard against 
them was my next care ; not daring to 
make my bed of skins while they could so 
readily enter my house. How to guard a- 
gainst the depredations of these creatures, 
and do it with the least labour, cost me 
much thinking, but of all the plans that sug- 
gested themselves to me, that of digging a 
ditch entirely round my house, seemed most 
feasible and practicable, I therefore laid 
out a square for this purpose, at the dis- 



34 

tance of about ten feet from the sides of 
the house, and began digging, as I had the 
well, with a flat pointed stick and a cocoa 
nut shell. I found the work slow but not 
hard. The soil was thin and rested on a 
bed of sand and shells. I dug the ditch 
wide and deep, keeping the sides perpen- 
dicular by sticks as I had the well. This 
task also I finished, and found it to answer 
the purpose effectually. By lashing a suf- 
ficient number of alders together, I formed 
a kind of bridge, which, by means of four 
posts, two on each side the ditch, and a 
string passing through a notch made for that 
purpose, in the top of the posts, I could raise 
the bridge on either side, as I passed in or 
out of my house. I next prepared my bed- 
stead, fixing four posts in the ground, and 
lashing pieces of wood to them, in the 
form of a house bedstead. I corded it 
closely, from side to side, making it suffi- 
ciently soft with the cocoa leaf. 1 then 
spread a dry skin over the whole, and a 
spare one for a covering completed the bed 



35 

I was generally fatigued enough at night, to 
sleep soundly in any situation ; but on this 
excellent bed, it was sound and sweet indeed. 

I had made it a rule, since being- on the 
island, not to work on Sundays, but devoted 
the day entirely to leisure. I had no book 
to read, and giving thanks to God was all the 
religion I could practise. As we frail mor- 
tals know not what we want most, or what 
to ask for, and God in his wonderful good- 
ness knowing what we have need of before 
we ask ; in my addresses to the throne of 
grace, I confined myself to thanks for his 
kind providence, and a general prayer, that 
he would continue to guard and protect me, 
as he had hitherto done. I generally took 
a walk over some part of my dominions on 
this day, and frequently returned with a 
handkerchief of eggs, which I was now con- 
vinced were those of the real barn door 
fowl. 

One day I had the good fortune to sur- 
prise a hen on her nest. Having seized 



36 

upon her, 1 was bearing my prize off in 
triumph towards my house, when I be- 
thought myself of her nest and eggs, which 
I carefully took up. From one of the eggs, 
I thought I saw the bill of a chicken, ap- 
pearing through the shell. I secured my 
prize in one corner of my house, by some 
wicker work^ hastily formed, and gave the 
poor creature some chopt cocoa nut and 
water, which she greedily devoured, and 
returned to her nest, quite contented, as if 
no change had taken place. In a few days, 
I had the satisfaction to see her surrounded 
by a brood of ten chickens. Judge the many 
excellent meals of roast and boiled chickens 
I fancied in store for me, when my stock 
should be increased. 

My clothes had now become quite old, and 
I set about a covering of seal skins, as the 
only substitute I could think of for the pre- 
sent. There being now but little of my origi- 
nal baize shirt left, a covering became abso- 
lutely necessary for my back, especially as 



37 

my flesh would not bear exposure to the 
sun. I could make a loose robe of seal 
skins if I had but needle and thread to sew 
it with, but how to find or invent a substi- 
tute for these, cost me much meditation and 
thinking. I however made me a tolerable 
good needle or rather bodkin from turtle 
shell ; and knowing this was not strong 
enough to perforate the skin of itself; by 
sharpening a hard bone with my knife, I 
made a punch that answered very well in 
making holes for the introduction of my 
bodkin. I was at great pains to prepare 
the strong sinews of the seal, to answer my 
purpose as a substitute for thread. The form 
of my robe was much like a frock or shirt, 
somewhat loose and reaching below my 
knees. This without any other garment 
answered very well. Shoes I needed none, 
as I had accustomed myself to go bare foot- 
ed. My hat was heavy, and often made 
my head ache in the sun. I formed a 
light umbrella to carry in my hand, and 
when my occupation required the use of 
4 



38 

both hands, I could place the umbrella on 
my head, by means of the crown of my old 
hat fastened on the inside of it. 

I now built me a cook house at a little 
distance from my dwelling house, much on the 
same plan, but neither so large nor so secure, 
surrounding it with a ditch and fence, with- 
in which I let loose my fowls, first cutting 
their wings to prevent their flying away. 
My thoughts still run on a hatchet, and oth- 
er tools, and I saw no possibility of leaving 
the place but by building a boat or vessel ; 
and this I could not possibly do with a jack- 
nife only, now much worn, with constant use. 
I wanted too a pot to boil meat in. A fry- 
ing pan would have been a very useful thing 
to me, being tired of broiled meat, which 
my food principally consisted of. I had 
some time previously to this, made myself a 
good bow and arrows, with which I could 
from practice hit a bird as sure as a musket. 
I had also caught several hogs, by finding 
their track to a pond, in nearly the centre 



39 

of the island, digging a pit in this track, and 
shghtly covering it over with boughs and 
leaves. But when I had thus caught them, 
they appeared so wild and savage, I was 
afraid to take them out alive, having been 
severely bitten by one of them in making 
the attempt. I had however prepared a 
pen to recieve the first one I should take 
that was small enough to be manageable. 
I seldom obtained more than one meal 
from a large hog, being so near the equator, 
and the weather so warm, it was incredible 
how soon meat became putrid. 

As I had much time for reflection, I sigh- 
ed often for a companion,notwithstanding my 
apparently eligible situation ; feeling very 
sensibly it was not good for man to be alone. 
I was notwithstanding so well pleased with the 
place and its productions, that with the addi- 
tion of a companion I should very content- 

i It 

edly have passed my life there. As man is 
seldom satisfied with his present situation, 1 
solaced myself often with this conclusion, 



40 

that in any and every situation of life, I 
should, according to the lot of human na- 
ture, \^ant something more to make happi- 
ness complete. 

In one of my musing fits I asked myself 
how these hogs, fowls and rats, came upon 
the island? I could readily suppose a ship 
stopping here, hogs and fowls might have 
been designedly landed, for the benefit of 
future visitors ; but then how did the rats 
come on shore ? A vessel could not anchor, 
less than one or two miles from the land, 
and surely no one would be at the pains, to 
set these creatures on shore, at the same 
time they did the hogs and fowls. Neither 
did it seem very plausible, that one could 
have landed in the boat. A vessel might 
have been cast away here, and that would 
solve the difficulty ! This idea took strong 
hold of my brain, and I have since thought 
something:, other than chance, led me to 
these reflections, as they were ultimately 
the means of my quitting the island. 



41 

The persuasion that there might have 
been a wreck, upon or near the island, had 
now so fully possessed my imagination, that 
I felt determined to ascertain if any such 
thing was on the island first ; and if not suc- 
cessful in finding one, to make a raft and ex- 
plore the reef which surrounded the place. 
It is true, I had made the circuit of the is- 
land, on my first landing, but had not ob- 
served any thing of this nature, and as the 
tide ebbed and flowed several feet, this cir- 
cumstance might have prevented my seeing 
such an object. I carefully traversed the 
southern side of the island, and examin- 
ed the shores at low water, without success, 
and almost discouraged. The chance of 
finding a wreck on the other side of the island^ 
I did not consider very great, but having ob- 
served that some heavy gales blew from the 
north west, there was still a possibility of 
success. 

Here my search did not appear more suc- 
cessful at first, than on the other side ; but 

4* 



42 

as 1 was returning home, as I now called my 
house, from near the western point, my foot 
accidentally struck against something, stick- 
ing up above the shells, so firmly fixed as to 
throw me over, which I thought strange, as 
the shells forming the beach were very 
loose. On examination I found I had trip- 
ped over a black piece of square wood; 
and, clearing away the shells, I could plain- 
ly perceive the marks of an axe or adze in 
the sides of it ; but what retained it so firm, 
as yet had not suggested itself. Determin- 
ed to know if possible, as I removed the 
sand and shells, i found other pieces of wood 
like the first standing in a row, though not 
so long or so firmly fixed as the first. The 
idea now struck me that this must be the 
Avreck, which had given me so much 
thought and anxiety. As night was now ad- 
vancing, and my home nearly three miles dis- 
tant, I returned there, determined to exam- 
ine this apparent wreck more fully on the 
morrow. 



43 

I did not sleep much this night. Many 
a fairy castle of future liberation, and many 
plans of great labour to execute, could I but 
find iron about the wreck, occupied my mind. 
The fears of disappointment could not be 
entirely suppressed; they kept my mind in 
great agitation all night. In the morning I 
prepared an extra quantity of food and put 
in a basket (of which I had made me a 
number of various sizes) to serve me dur- 
ing the day. 

I set off for the hulk with mingled emo- 
tions of hope and fear. — I ascertained be- 
fore night, that I had found the keel and 
floor timbers of a large ship, and by the 
pigs of iron yet remaining in her bottom she 
might have been a vessel of war. She was 
above the usual high water mark, no part 
of her being within fifty feet of the usual 
flow of the tide. I concluded that some 
heavy gale had thrown her high up the 
beach; and as these islands increase by 
the formation of coral round their shores, 



44 

that time had enlarged the island these fifty 
feet. The wood of her seemed to be oak, and 
in a high state of preservation some bolts 
much corroded by time and water were still 
visible. I worked diligently some days to 
clear her inside of sand and shells, musing 
all the time upon the plan of my vessel, 
which I had concluded, however desperate 
the attempt, to undertake; feeling myself 
most contented when fully employed. If 
my labour should be lost, it would in the 
end be productive of much good to me, as 
having afforded employment for many an 
otherwise idle hour, and a continual exercise 
of the mind, as to the manner in which I 
should accomplish the undertaking. 

Having cleared the hull of sand and 
shells, the result of my knowledge was, 
that she contained several tiers of pig iron- 
several bolts of various sizes, and some few 
spikes. As there was no wood on this end 
of the island, I concluded it best to burn 
the hulk and carefully to collect all the iron 



45 

for the purpose of removal to my ship 
yard, when I should have pitched upon a 
suitable spot for the purpose. Foreseeing 
I must have ropes, sails, and many other 
articles, I devoted every evening at the 
door of my house to the manufactory of cord 
from the cocoa nut. 

In one of my walks, on a leisure day, I 
found a plant, on the edge of the wood, 
about six (eet high, bearing a cluster of 
handsome flowers. In breaking off a bunch 
of these flowers, the rind, or outer covering 
peeled off the whole length of the stalk. 
An idea struck me to make trial, by rotting 
it, as I had seen flax done, if it would not 
answer the same purpose, I employed 
next day, cutting up this plant, removing it 
to a clear spot, and carefully spreading it on 
the ground. Thus left to rot, I hoped one 
day to be repaid for my trouble. In burning 
the wreck I collected a large number of dif- 
ferent sized bolts, some few spikes, and two 
large rudder braces, from the size of which 



46 

I judged she must have been a large 
vessel. 

On the north side of the island, I selected 
a spot, where the teak trees, as I now call 
them, grew near the sea shore, and oppo- 
site to which was an opening in the reef. 
Making a raft of such wood, as I could find 
near me, I transported my iron, with one 
of the best pigs of it to serve me for an an- 
vil, by water to the place I shall in future 
call my ship yard. Coal, forge, and bellows 
being next wanted, I set about collecting 
wood to make charcoal. I had seen the 
method of making it, the little time I lived 
in Nova Scotia, and found no difficulty in 
making a proper pile first, in a conical form, 
and confining the fire, to produce the ejffect 
intended. While this was burning I set about 
my bellows, and with much labour and in- 
dustry, I succeeded in forming one, but so 
uncouth that I could not help laughing at 
my own work. 



47 

As I could not make a board >vith my 
knife, I took the flat shells of two large 
turtles, and making holes all . ...i u the 
edges of them with the point of my knife, 
and fixing a cla])per to the lower shell, I 
fastened a seal skin properly shaped with a 
lacing to each shell. A hollow bone, found 
on the beach, served me for a nose, round 
one end of which bone, I puckered the skin 
like the closed mouth of a bag, and seized or 
tied it firm to the bone. I next fixed the 
whole firmly on stakes, about one foot from 
the ground, and a stick with a crotch at 
the top, driven into the ground by the side 
of the bellows served to place a lever on to 
w^ork it, I connected one end of the lever 
wath cord to the upper part of the bellow^s. 
By bearing dow^n the other end of the lev- 
er, the upper part was lifted, as far as the 
seal skin would permit. A large flat stone, 
on the upper shell, served to press out the 
wind and produce a good blast through the 
nose. On opening the coal heap, I found 
sufiicient, and that of a good quality, to an- 
sw^er all mj purposes. 



48 

An accident at this time happened quite 
unexpected'y, and was a source of great 
vexation and trial to me. Sitting near the 
door of my house one evening, making cord 
rery diligently, a cocoa nut fell from one of 
the trees, forming a corner of my house, 
directly on my bare foot. At first the pain 
and shock was so great, I was fearful it had 
broken all the bones in it. The pain of this 
wound was very severe; and the part swel- 
led to an enormous size. The handiest and 
best thing, I could apply, was some fat of a 
turtle I had by me, w^rapping my foot up, in 
some pieces of my baize shirt. For a long 
month I could not touch this foot to the 
ground, the pain of hobbling over the sand, 
with a miserable crutch I had made^ called 
forth many a heavy groan. 

I was not however idle all the time ; and 
when the pain in my foot would permit, I 
wrought at such kind of work, as 1 could do 
sitting. I had been heretofore very anxious 
to take a live hog, but on reflection it would 



49 

only increase my cares, as I could take one 
any time 1 wanted to ; and having no meth- 
od of preserving the meat, it seemed al- 
most a sin to kill a hog and make but one 
meal from it. During my confinement I 
thought much of my vessel, not yet begun, 
except in imagination. I had neither com- 
pass, quadrant, or book of navigation. The 
supplying all these deficiences occupied my 
mind as fully as it could well bear. The 
execution of any project when formed was 
not so difficult, as the previous planning and 
contriving it in my mind. I had heard or 
read some where, that iron having been 
kept along time in a perpendicular position 
would acquire polarity, and surely, thought 
I, some of the bolts attached to the w^reck 
have stood long enough for that purpose. 
As I had not destroyed the whole of the 
wreck, I determined to make the attempt, 
at some future day, of forming a needle 
from one of the remaining bolts. 



50 

How to ascertain the situation of the is- 
land, as to latitude and longitude, seemed 
impossible, as I had no chart or book of dec- 
lination, whereby to ascertain the latitude, 
if I should contrive a method of taking the 
sun's meridian altitude. This however I 
knew, and upon reflection might apply it to 
my purpose ; that, when the sun was at its 
greatest declination, either north or south, 
the daily variation was very trifling; that 
on the 21st day of June, the sun's declina- 
tion must be nearly 23° 28' north, and that 
on or near the 22d day of December, it 
must have the same declination nearly 
south : that the sun crossed the equator on 
or about the 23d day of September, and 
again near the 20th day of March, at which 
times it had no declination ; but the daily 
variation of the declination being at its 
greatest point, when the sun was at the 
equator, my calculation would be subject to 
more error, should I then attempt to find 
the latitude, than when the sun should be 
at either of the tropicks, as at this time^ a 



51 

day one way or the other would not make 
more than the difference of one mile in the 
dediriation. Now, if I could by any means 
measure the sun^s meridian altitude, on eith- 
er of the before mentioned days, I could 
come at the latitude of the place with suf- 
ficient accuracy. I could recollect also the 
general position of India, as I had seen it 
on the charts ; with the knowledge before- 
hand of the latitude of the place, it was a 
hard case if I could not hit some part of 
India, which I supposed w^as not far distant 
to the north east. 

When my foot had grown better, I vis- 
ited my flax, and found it would answer the 
purpose intended very well. It wanted 
however breaking, swindling and cleaning, 
before I could apply it to any use. I care- 
fully bundled it up, and removed it, after 
much hobbling (for as yet I was very lame) 
to my house, where I could work upon it at 
my leisure. With much beating, shaking, 
and pullingji got out about fifty heads,of fine, 



52 

long, silky flax, apparently very strong; and 
of this flax I purposed to make my sails, if 
I should ever otherwise complete a vessel. 
Not considering it enough for my purpose, 
I was at great pains to spread more of the 
plant, where I had the former. I had not 
yet tried my forge, the accident to my foot 
having prevented me. My first care, Avhen 
my foot would permit, was to climb the 
trees at the four corners of my house, and 
cut oif the nuts, to prevent a like or worse 
accident in future ; for certainly if one of 
the nuts had fallen on my head, instead 
of my foot, it w^ould have killed me. 

As the rainy season had set in, I deter- 
mined to work under cover of the cook 
house, and here I erected my forge, in the 
same manner I had unadvisedly done at the 
ship yard, which was near a mile from the 
house. In fixing it the second time, a fear 
suggested itself that the bone nose would 
burn, if it came in contact wuth the fire. 
To remedy this, I perforated a hole through 



53 

a rock, with one of my iron bolts ; in one 
end of this hole, which was nine inches 
through, I put the nose of the bellows, the 
other side of the stone coming in contact 
with the fire, served the double purpose of 
a back to my forge, and a conductor to the 
wind. The place for the fire I made even 
with the hole, making the hearth of flat 
stones. 

For a hammer I took a bolt, with the 
flattest head I could find, and with the bolt 
burnt a hole in a piece of wood intended 
for the handle. After much wedging and 
lashing, I made it do for the present to 
commence with. I tried my skill first at a 
pair of tongs, to handle my work with, such 
as I had seen blacksmiths use. From the 
bad fashion of my hammer, it took me much 
thumping and many heats to accomplish. I 
found great patience necessary to work at 
this kind of business; but the more I la^- 
boured the easier it became. 



5# 



54 

Having finished the tongs, I next made 
a tolerable good hammer from one of the 
iron braces ; this having a hole already in 
it for a handle. Of the other brace, avail- 
^ ing myself of the hole in that also, I made 
a tolerable good axe, about six inches broad ; 
and by frequent heating and putting into wa- 
ter, I gave it some considerable degree of 
hardness. I next fitted it with a good han- 
dle, and sharpened it on the best stone I 
could find. So great was my impatience to 
make trial of it, I repaired next day to the 
ship yard, and proved its goodness by cut- 
ting down three large trees. As my foot 
was not strong enough to use much as yet, I 
laboured most of the time at the black- 
smiths' business, and completed (as well as 
my abilities and materials would permit)tools 
enough to commence working with. I even 
made several tolerable augers ; but ^saw I 
never attempted. I made also two rudder 
braces and pintals, and prepared all the 
spikes to drive again. 



55 

Having no paper to draft a vessel on, 1 
trusted, as sailors call it^to ^^rule of thumb." 
The general plan. I had formed in imagina- 
tion for her, was to have each end very 
sharp and nearly alike, with great breadth 
of beam in proportion to her other dimen- 
sions. I made a rule graduated to inches, 
as nearly as I could, and a pair of iron com- 
passes, making use of coal to mark with, as 
a substitute for chalk, of which I had none. 
I reasoned that it would be better for me to 
have a few timbers in the vessel, and those 
stout, than many small ones ; and this meth- 
od would also save me much labour. 

The keel I laid on blocks, the length of 
which was thirty feet from stem to stern, 
and erected the posts for the stem and 
stern nearly perpendicular. I found the 
teak would split as true as a shingle, and 
that it lost much of its weight by seasoning. 
This consideration induced me to employ 
myself steadily in preparing boards for the 
covering ; also knees, timbers, beams, and 



56 

tree-nails as a better way of proceeding^than 
applying my work to the vessel as I fit- 
ted it. 

At this kind of labour I was employed a 
whole year, in addition to my other occupa- 
tions. During the year too^ I had ascer- 
tained the latitude of the place to be 7° 10' 
south by the following method. I prepar- 
ed two straight pieces of wood, two feet 
long, securing an end of each together like 
a pair of compasses. I next fastened the 
quarter of a circle graduated to 90° degrees 
firmly to one leg, passing through a hole 
adapted to it in the other leg, the whole re- 
sembling a cooper's compasses. The leg,to 
which the quadrant was fast, I secured in a 
horizontal position on the stump of a tree^ 
by a peg driven through the leg into the 
stump, on which peg the whole machine 
could be turned in a horizontal circle. The 
upper leg I could elevate or depress at 
pleasure ; and the arch or quadrant would 
shew the number of degrees the upper leg 



57 

was elerated. At the outer end of the upper 
leg, 1 fixed a piece of wood with a small 
hole, through which the sun could shine, 
and a similar piece at the meeting of the 
two legs of the machine. I could now 
move the w^hole horizontally, and one leg 
perpendicularly. By bringing the sun to 
shine through the outer hole directly on the 
other piece of wood, at the junction of the 
legSjwath strict watching and attention,Icould 
ascertain when the snn was stationary, or at 
its meridian altitude, which the graduated 
quadrant would show. This I worked as 
by a common quadrant. 

I could devise no possible plan to find 
out the longitude of the island, but conclud- 
ed if I should ever be afloat, to steer north 
east, as near as I could; being the best 
course in my judgment to hit some part of 
India. I had succeeded too in making a 
rude kind of compass, one however that 
served me well to steer by when on my pas- 
sage. I wrought a small needle from a 



58 

bolt I found in a proper position in the 
wreck, and fitted it on a point prepared in 
a box for the purpose, cutting the different 
points of the compass^ such as north, south, 
east, west, and so on, in the bottom of the 
box, and placing the pivot for the needle in 
the center. This also cost much labour, as 
I found from experience, that heat destroy- 
ed its polarity. The second one I made 
with a cold chizzel from cold iron and found 
it succeed. 

I had also increased my flax, as I found I 
should be obliged to caulk my vessel with 
it, having no other oakum. I was as yet 
much at a loss what I should substitute for 
pitch, to pay the seams of the vessel with ; 
and this occassioned me much uneasiness 
and thought. I had manufactured several 
yards of cloth for my sails^and experienced 
no fear on this score of equipment. I shall 
here attempt a description of my manner of 
making it. 



59 

Having prepared my flax, as clear as I 
could, I next made a windmill, with arms 
of about two feet, fixing the mill in a frame 
to turn on its axis, and the frame so fixed as 
to turn horizontally at pleasure. With a 
small hook fixed directly on one end of the 
axis of the mill, and a good breeze, I had 
turn enough to spin my thread by walking 
backwards as ropemakers do with the hemp 
round my waist. I drove sticks into the 
ground at proper intervals with a horizon- 
tal branch, on which to lay the threads 
when spun, answering to the stake heads in 
a ropewalk. When I had spun the yarn as 
long as I intended, I stopped the mill by a 
string connected with it in such a manner, as 
to turn the arms of the mill edge-ways to 
the wind. When I had spun a sufficient 
number of yarns to form the warp and tied 
them by, I wound more thread on sticks 
about one foot long to answer for the 
filling. 

I wove my cloth in much the same way 
I had been accustomed to weave mats on 



60 

board a vessel. Having fixed a number of 
pieces of wood in a frame, side by side, 
about one quarter of an inch asunder, and a 
hole in the center of each piece, I rove my 
filling alternately, one thread in a hole, and 
another between the sticks of the frame. 
^By moving the web up and down, I could 
introduce the filling at pleasure, beating it 
home with a wooden sword, made straight. 
My cloth Avas not more than twelve inches 
wide, but of a texture fine and firm enough 
for sail cloth. 

By means of this mill I was enabled to 
lay up some of my cocoa nut cord, into 
very good ropes of different sizes. The 
keel, stem, and stern post of the vessel had 
laid on the blocks, for nearly a year. Hav- 
ing prepared most of the materials necessa- 
ry for her completion, I set myself diligently 
to work upon her. Inr setting up my frames 
I o;ave the vessel ten feet beam and five 
feet hold. I saved much labour by making 
her sharp at both e nds as my planki.;g 



61 



wanted but little bending. If would be te- 
dious to give a detail of every piece added 
to the vessel ; at the end of a year more, 
in addition to the one I had taken to pre. 
pare the materials, I saw her so far com- 
pleted, as to have the decks laid, and nearly 
finished, with the exception of caulking,which 
I deferred as long as I could, that the wood 
might sufficiently season, and until I had 
devised some plan to cover the seams when 
caulked. 

\ 

In building her, I had generally secured 
the planking with treenails ; but where 
more strength was wanted, I used a bolt or 
spike ; and now if I could but make her 
tight, I felt certain she was the strongest 
thing that ever was built. I had determin- 
ed to rig her exactly like the fishing boats of 
my native town, with two masts and two 
boom sails only, and to lead the haulyards 
and sheets all aft, that I might tend the 
sails withouf going forward or quitting the 
feelm. I made but one scuttle or hatch war 
6 



62 

and that abaft the main mast, in Avhich I 
could stand to steer, if I chose, and round 
this scuttle I fixed a seal skin that I could 
fasten round my waist in rainy weather, or 
in case of a rough sea, would prevent the 
water from going below. Not being able 
to make a proper hole in a log for a pump^ 
I contrived a substitue, that I could raise a 
great quantity of water with in a short time, 
and I think it answered my purpose better 
than a pump. 

I made a well room, a little forward of 
the hatchway, and just abaft the mainmast, 
nine inches square, and rising one foot above 
the deck, with a tight cover to keep the wa- 
ter out, when not in use as a pump. To the 
inside of this, I fitted a square bucket twelve 
inches deep, with a valve or clapper in the 
bottom ; by lowering the bucket down the 
well room, the clapper rose and the bucket 
filled with water; as I drew it up the clap- 
per closed and left the bucket more or less 
full according to the quantity of water in 



63 

the well, and setting it on a short pin fitted 
in the deck for the purpose, the clapper 
was raised and the water discharged from the 
bucket. By means of a single block, fast to 
the end of a six foot standard, and a rope 
through the same, fastened to the bucket, 
served for a " whip" which enabled me at 
all times with no great exertion to keep the 
vessel free of water, 

I traversed the woods three days to 
find some tree that produced a resinous sub- 
stance, but in this I did not succeed. I next 
collected a quantity of shells and burning 
them thoroughly, I reduced them to a fine 
powder, and mixing the fat or oil of turtle 
(of which I had plenty) with this powder 
and some hair from the seal, I made a kind 
of mortar or putty, which I found upon tri- 
al grew hard, even under water; and ma- 
king a small trowel at the forge, and a set 
of caulking irons, I commenced caulking the 
vessel. I bestowed great pains on the bot- 
tom, knowing a leak there would prove 



64 

more fatal in its consequences, than even a 
larger leak above water ; and by great la- 
bour I succeeded in making her perfectly 
tight all over. I next made some blocks 
for the haulyards, and sheets to lead 
through, and although I had not the proper 
materials; or tools, for the manufactory of 
them, I succeeded very well, having worked 
some at this trade in my father's shop. I 
fitted the masts with shrouds, and stays^ and 
with a tackle, sheers and Spanish windlass 
I stepped them with the vessel still on the 
stocks. 

I had much to do yet, before I should be 
ready to embark myself once more on the 
ocean, my sails to make, booms to fit for the 
sails, a substitute for an anchor, which how- 
ever I did not contemplate to use at this 
time, as I had determined to prepare my 
vessel, stores and loading on the stocks, 
and launch myself in her. I had reserved 
for my sea stores a goodly number of fowls 
and several cages of turtle doves. I some- 



65 

times thought of making salt by evaproa- 
tion ; but then in this warm climate, even 
salt would not preserve meat. I hit upon 
an excellent expedient to supply the defic- 
iency of water casks; by taking out the eye 
of a hard cocoa nut, I loosened the meat 
on the inside with a small iron, I made for 
the purpose, and when the nut was per- 
fectlj clear of meat, it served as a good bot- 
tle to hold water, only wanting a plug or 
cork at the hole. With much labour I 
prepared one hundred nuts in this way 
and filled them with water for my sea 
store. 

I made several basket work coops for the 
fowls, and prepared a suitable place under 
deck for the reception of live turtle. The 
water within the reef contained many fish, 
of various sizes and kinds, any of which I 
could take at pleasure with either a hook 
and line, or a dip-net, I had made for the 
purpose. The kind that seemed most plen- 
ty; somewhat resembled a sardina. I made 
6^ 



66 

several attempts to cure some of these fish 
for my sea stores, by drying and smoking, 
but in this I was not successful. I laboured 
hard to be ready to sail the coming fair 
season, when the wind would change to the 
south east ; having observed since being on 
the island, that the wind divided the year in 
the points it blew from ; one half the year 
blowing from the north west and the other 
half from south east. I had long before 
this made me a frying pan, and with much 
labour beat out a pot from a pig of iron, in 
which I could boil water. To enable me 
to make use of these useful articles in cook- 
ery, I made me a small portable camboose, 
that I could upon occasison use on deck, or 
in the hold of the vesseL 

As soon as the fair weather had steadily 
set in, I began loading the vessel, collecting 
iirst a large number' of green cocoa nuts to 
serve me for food and drink. I floored the 
vessel several tier deep with them. On 
these I stowed my bottles of wat^r. Abaft 



67 

the hatchway I secured my coops of fowls 
and doves. I had turned thirty small tur- 
tle of about fifty pounds each, knowing I 
had better have a number of small ones, 
than a few large ones. I took them on 
board in the place prepared for them. I 
also put on board a considerable quantity of 

a root, I had at first observed the hogs to 
eat, and which for a long time past, I had 

eaten as bread. This root is what I have 
since learned is found in such high perfec- 
tion at the Sandwich islands, and called 
Taro by the natives. I made me a wooden 
anchor, being two stout pieces of wood, fix- 
ed crossways to one another, and four other 
pieces of wood, connected together at one 
end, and spread at the other, to the four 
arms of the cross, a long stoae being secur- 
ed by these last pieces in the space within. 
This I knew would hold me in a common 
time, and was the best substitute I could 
devise. 

I had cloth enough left from my sails to 
make a couple of shirts, and trowsers, to 



68 

which I added another robe of seal skins, t# 
cover all and serve me for a great coat. Of 
my black silk handerchief I made a striped 
jack, forming the stripes of feathers, red 
and white, sewed on each side ; when 
the breeze was strong enough to blow it out, 
it made a handsome appearence. I carried 
all my tools on board, not knowing but I 
might be cast away, in navigating a sea, I 
was totally unacquainted with, I was at 
some pains to cut on a board, I left in the 
house, my name, the time of my arrival on 
the island, and the time of my departure* 
The ways had been prepared for launching 
a long time. On the first of July, 1788, being 
all ready, I new greased the ways and 
knocked away all the blocks, having first 
taken a turn, with the end of the cable, to 
a tree and back to the foremast well hauled 
taught, to prevent her going off without me, 
and being the last act on the island, I fell 
on my knees, and returned thanks to God 
for his great care and protection of me thus 
far, submitting myself, as I had ever done, to 
his future guidance and care. 



69 

Being now on board, I cast off the end of 
the cable from the foremast and hauled it 
on board from round the tree by the other 
part, still she did not move, but running aft 
the agitation started her and I had the plea- 
sure of seeing her soon fairly afloat. As 
she began to move, I broke a cocoa nut 
against her bows, and christened her the 
Effort ; and when afloat, I hoisted the 
foresail, wore round through the open- 
ing in the reef and soon found myself in 
clear water and leaving the island fast. 

I had been on this place four years and 
two months, and have been more particular 
in relating the incidents that occurred, or 
rather my occupation there, as it carries 
with it a good morale and some instruction. 
The moral part teaches us not to despair in 
any situation ; that, when we can do it, 
we ought to help ourselves, and not trust 
too much to others ; that there is scarcely 
any thing but may be accomplished by dili- 
gence and perseverance. The instructive 



70 

part will show the complete possibility of 
building a comfortable house with so simple 
a tool as a jacknife ; that with no other addi- 
tion than a few iron bolts a vessel was built 
that proved in the end to answer every pur- 
pose she was intended for. This was not, 
however, accomplished without great la- 
bour, close application, and intense thought. 
I give much of the credit due my labours 
on this island to my parents, who early in 
life inculcated in my mind the invaluable 
worth of time, laying it down as a fixed 
principle that time should be fully employ- 
ed in some useful occupation, especially in 
youth ; allowing, however, sufficient time for 
recreation to the mind and body, that they 
may return with fresh vigour to employ- 
ment. 

Having written the foregoing from mem- 
ory only, I know I must have omitted many 
things, that might be instructive and enter- 
taining. A fact now occurs to me, that 
should have been related at the time of the 



71 

occurence. I was much puzzled for a stone 
to sharpen my knife upon; and whenever I 
wanted any thing, my thoughts were so 
beut upon the thing itself or a substitute, I 
could seldom rest. Musing one night I re- 
collected during my childhood having obser- 
ved my father honing his razor on what I 
thought a very curious looking stone, and 
asking him where it came from, or what it 
was made of ? he told me it was petrified 
wood ; that by keeping a certain kind of it 
under water, and continuing it there a long 
time, it became as hard as stone ; and that 
the hone he held in his hand had once been 
part of a growing tree. Recollecting this 
circumstance, I repaired to the pond in the 
center of the island, and found hones enough 
to sharpen my tools upon. 

To return, I had a fresh breeze, and clear 
weather, wind souths south east, steering as 
near as I could, north east, with both sails 
set. I was gratified to find my vessel st'fF. 
and as tight as I could expect a new^ one to 



72 

be. At sun down I had fairly run the island 
out of sight, and at eight o'clock having 
run as far a head as I could see before night, 
I handed the mainsail, and laid too under a 
double reefed foresail for the night, headed to 
the eastward. I took this time to prepare my 
supper, and breakfast for the next day, as I 
could not well leave the helm for this pur- 
pose in the day time. Making a hearty 
meal, I turned in below, leaving the Effort 
to look out for herself, often during the 
night looking up to see how the weather 
was, feeling now quite secure on the ves- 
sel's account, but many fears as to the navi- 
gation part, as I had no means of keeping 
her run, which if I had they would have 
been of no use to me, not knowing the point 
I started from. 

Knowing there were many islands and 
shoals in this part of the world, I was fear- 
ful of running in the dark ; but as soon as 
daylight appeared, I made all sail, and took 
my station at the helm, having first fed and 



73 

watered my slock. The wind continued a 
good breeze, and clear weather all the day. 
I was fearful, if I stood too far east, of fal- 
ling in with the Maldive or Lockadive Is- 
lands ; and not caring to trust myself among 
the savages, if I could help it, I concluded 
to steer a little to the northward, of north 
east, to counteract the easting, I made in th6 
night. The Effort being a fast sailer, she 
ranged ahead faster in the night, than I 
wished, during the time of lying too, and this 
to the eastward. I had run by guess about 
sixty miles, the first day, and this the second 
day, about ninety miles. 

My recollection will not serve me at this 
time to give a regular journal of the passage, 
but as I drew near the line, the weather be- 
came squally ; at times calm, attended with 
much rain. My vessel however, was per- 
fectly tight, but I had to use great caution 
in tending my sails, lowering them at every 
appearance of a squall, knowing, if I lost 
them, I should be in a deplorable situation. 
7 



74 

I varied my diet, as inclination or conve- 
nience dictated; sometimes a broiled fowl 
and taro, and sometimes turtle ; using my 
nuts freely, until I found some of my old 
friends the rats, had chosen to embark with 
me on this expedition ; when I restricted 
mvself somewhat in the use of them. I 
could well have dispensed with such kind of 
passengers, but was strongly in hopes their 
numbers were not verj great. 

After being at sea twelve days, the wind 
began to hang often in the southwest, which 
encouraged me to hope I had crossed the 
line ; and one night, the weather being very 
clear, to my great joy, I could see the north 
star, about four degrees above the horizon ; 
and this proved to be a good mark for me 
to ascertain the latitude bv. The weather 
had now become settled, and the wind steady 
at southwest. My course being still north- 
east, of consequence the wind was aft, and 
the position of my sails, wing and wing, a» 
the fisherman's term is. After having been 



75 

at sea without any material accident, twen- 
ty days, I concluded from the north star, 
that I must be nearly in the latitude of nine 
degrees north. I ascertained this with my 
quadrant, as well as I could, keeping one 
leg of the quadrant pointed to the horizon, 
and the upper leg to the star, the latitude 
was found on the graduated arch ; and tak- 
ing the mean of three such observations, tak- 
en at night, twelve, and four o'clock, gave 
me the above latitude. 

Having heard of an eight or nine degree 
channel, between the Lockadive and Mal- 
dive Islands, I determined to steer east, and 
get through this channel, if I could hit if. 
The next day I saw indications of land, such 
as weeds, bamboos, and cocoa nuts on the 
water. At noon, I saw a snake, and nov/ I 
became much agitated ; but hoping to make 
the land before night ; which I did, to my 
great joy, about the middle of the afternoon, 
on my weather bow, and to appearance, aii 
island, three leagues distant. At sun down, 



76 

it was fairly abeam, and no other land in 
sight. I brought to as soon as it was dark, 
intending to keep my present position, if I 
could, until morning, which I did^ by stand- 
ing part of the night on one tack, and part 
on the other ; and at daylight the same isl- 
and was in sight, and on the same point of 
bearing. I was now in hopes I had fairly 
hit the channel, and congratulated myself 
much on my success, not however taking the 
merit of it to myself, but attributing it to a 
kind Providence, that had shewn me such 
special marks of protection and kindness, 

I now thought I might steer a little north- 
erly of east, expecting to fall in with the 
main land. After two days good run from 
the before mentioned island, I made the 
Continent. I judged the time of day to be 
near meridian, when I first discovered the 
land, the wind blowing very hard, and far 
to the southward, my vessel under double 
reefed foresail only. I had no fears of stand- 
ing boldly in to explore the coast, as the 



77 

wind blew in some measure along the shore, 
and my vessel would lie to, like a gull on 
the water, and hold her own, under any sail. 
With these advantages, I could at any time 
lay off and on again. As I approached the 
shore, I discovered a little to leeward, of me, 
a cluster of trees, and a flag hoisted on a 
high tower. I edged away towards the flag, 
being very strongly agitated, exerting my 
resolution much, to calm this feeling, and 
keep myself cool. 

I soon discovered a fort near the water, 
and to appearance, the mouth of a small 
river. Fortunately, just ahead of me, was 
a doney , or boat of the country, by her steer- 
ing, bound into the river. I kept in the 
wake of this boat, until I dropped anchor, 
about sundown, near a large handsome town^. 
perfectly secure from the heavy gale, that 
was blowing without. I set my flag, as I 
passed the fort, when they hailed me in a 
language I did not understand ; and being 
under quick way, I had no time to answer^ 
7* 



n 

Several natives came on board, after I had 
anchored, and gazed upon me with apparent 
fear, surprize and curiosity ; but letting 
them know I was English, and motioning 
them away, they left me for the night. 

I concluded to stay on board the boat this 
nightjas Ihad been much fatigued in bodyjSome 
days past, and violently agitated in feehngs in 
hopes by some repose in this secure situa- 
tion to refresh myself, for the adventures of 
the ensuing day. When the natives had 
left me, and taking such a supper as the Ef- 
fort afforded, I turned in ; and after much 
tossing and turning, nature relieved me with 
a sound and refreshing sleep. I was waked 
in the morning, by the noise of feet over my 
head, and starting suddenly upon deck, I 
found my vessel surrounded Avith boats, and 
the deck covered with men. One man ac- 
costed me in English, to know where I was 
from, to what nation belonging, and where 
bound ; informing me, that he was an offi- 
cer sent on board to make these injuries, 



and to demand my papers. As I could hav^ 
no motive in deviating from the truth, I re- 
quested him to clear my vessel of the na- 
tives, and place a proper guard on board, 
for the security of my property, when I 
would accom|>any him on shore to the Gov- 
ernor, and give him as clear an account of 
myself, as I was able. 

He seemed satisfied with this proposal, 
and immediately gave proof of his authori- 
ty by driving all the natives out of the ves- 
sel, and leaving two of his boat's crew to 
take care of her. I embarked for the 
shore in a boat with this officer, who told 
me the place was called Cochin, and then 
in possession of the Dutch. On my arrival 
before the governor I was pleased he could 
speak English, and we could converse with- 
out an interpreter. He seemed much as- 
tonished at my appearance, and his curiosi- 
ty had been much excited the night before, 
by the accounts he had heard— of a strange 
rigged vessel having arrived, with but one 



80 

person in her. And now I told my story in 
the plain unadorned garb of truth, the 
governor seemed truly astonished ; nor 
could he bring himself to believe it possi- 
ble, one man had performed what I had re* 
lated. 1 answered him I was ready to prove 
from the vessel and her equipment, the en- 
tire possibility of what I had related. After 
asking a great many questions, he observed 
I must want some refreshment, and when I 
had breakfasted he would himself examine 
into the correctness of my story. 

He ordered me a breakfast served in the 
next room, at which I ate very hearty, not 
having tasted bread before for more than 
four years. The coffee was a great luxury 
and quite exhilarated my spirits. I requested 
the governor to furnish me with the means 
of procuring some clothes more suitable to 
appear in his presence, than those I had on, 
which he readily granted. I had no occa- 
sion for a barber, as I had been in the prac- 
tice of pulling out my beard j but a white 



81 

shirt, jacket, amd trowsers, with a straw hat, 
made quite a different figure of me. When 
thus equipped, the governor and some of 
his attendants repaired with me on board 
the Effort, where I completely satisfied him 
of the truth of my relation. He offered to 
purchase the vessel and her contents, as she 
then stood, and to give me twenty five hun- 
dred rupees for her ; observing, that he 
wanted such a vessel to coast along shore. 
I accepted this offer, not without many re- 
grets at parting with a work, I had become 
extremely attached to, and much hesitation, 
taking one -day to consider of it. 

I was so unwilling to part with her, that 
I even conceived the idea of returning to 
my native town, and following the business 
of fishing in her; but it was not here as on 
the island; every thing had an owner, and 
I had no money to equip her for such a voy- 
age or credit to acquire it. The governor 
paid me the money, and I delivered her 
with tears of regret. He permitted me to 



82 

reserve some articles from her, as memori- 
als of mj labour. The bellows and tools 
he had deposited, in his own house, as ob- 
jects of curiosity. I hired a small house, 
and furnished it, not having determined in 
my own mind what course next to pursue. 

# ^ ^ ^ ^ # 

Here there is a deficiency in the journal and no clue 
to connect the narrative, I must therefore continue 
it in the order the documents zvill permit. 

I now found myself, once more afloat^ 
bound round Cape Horn for the doub- 
le purpose of sealing, and trading for skins, 
on the north west coast of America. I had 
shipped as an able seaman, and it was op- 
tional with the captain to employ me in 
sealing; and when thus occupied, I had 
agreed fur a full share of the skins we 
should take, as my pay; or to employ me 
in the trade on the coast, in which latter 
case, I was to receive fifteen dollars per 
month as my pay. My inducement to ship, 



83 

on this voyage, was a strong propensity I 
had to visit and explore unfrequented and 
desolate islands; having been somewhat 
disappointed in my intercourse with the 
world, from which I promised myself so 
much happiness, while on a solitary island, I 
was at so much pains to quit, and of which 
I have given such a minute account. And 
often have I regretted quitting a place, 
where if not happy, I am certain I enjoyed 
in^ the aggregate full as much happiness, 
and even more than I have ever done in 
society, 

i shall forbear a minute description of 
the many places we visited in search of 
seal, as we have, among the books preserv- 
ed from the Bounty, a Gazetteer, several 
books of Geography, many voyages and 
travels, to which I refer my readers, as con- 
taining a better description of the known 
parts of the world, than I can be ex|)ected 
to give. Our vessel was about two hundred 
and fifty tons burthen, well equipped with 



^ 84 

every necessarj for such an undertaking. 
Soon after being at sea, the captain designa- 
ted ten sailors for the trading part of the 
voyage, and eighteen to be employed in two 
gangs, of nine each, in taking seal, for their 
skins only. The captain gave me charge 
of one gang, with orders to have our whale 
boat, and tackle ready for service at any 
call. This charge was quite unlooked for 
by me, and unexpected; the captain paying 
me the compliment of saying, he had 
heard so good a character of me before 
sailing, he felt perfect confidence in my abil- 
ities to undertake the charge, and my aver- 
sion from all ardent spirit, he observed, was 
a great thing in my favor. 

We continued our course towards the 
Falkland islands, as a likely place to find 
seal, without any accident, except those 
occassional misunderstandings and discon- 
tents, that almost always happen, when a 
number of men are confined together so 
long, and not fully employed, which I am 



85 

convinced tends more towards harmony and 
content than idleness ; it being a true max- 
im that *Mf a man will not set himself to 
work the devil will." We were not fortu- 
nate enough to find any seals on these islands, 
some one having been here before us ; or it 
was not the season for their coming on 
shore. We procured a few hogs on these 
islands, and prepared ourselves for the pas- 
sage, so much dreaded, round Cape Horn, 
by making every thing as snug and handy 
as possible. We encountered some very 
heavy gales, but rounded the cape without 
any material accident. One of the sealing 
gangs were landed on the island of Massa- 
fuero; and the one I had charge of landed 
on the island, or rather rock, of St. Felix, 
with a shed, stores, and all the materials 
necessary for a four or even six months' 
residence. 

The vessel left us and proceeded for the 
islands of Marquesis, with the intention 
of setting up the frame and finishing a small 
8 



86 

vessel, on board, designed for trading on the 
north west coast for sea otter skins. After 
erecting our hut, and making it as comforta- 
ble as possible, we set about preparing for 
the ensuing warfare with the seals. We 
had a good whale boat, and every thing 
neccessary to repair her, in case of accident 
from the heavy surf, at all times rolling on 
the rock. Each one prepared with a knife, 
and agood bludgeon to knock the seals on the 
head ; we rowed cautiously along the shore, 
carefully examining every place where it 
w^as possible for a seal or ourselves to land. 
On the discovery of any number on shore, 
we generally landed as silently as possible, 
that we might be enabled, as the phrase is, 
^^ to get under them," that is between them 
and the shore. The seals finding their re- 
treat cut off from the water, they made as 
much speed inland as their fat carcases 
would permit ; and when we considered it 
far enough for our purpose, we entered 
amongst them with our weapons of death, 
taking care to hit them in a particular spot 



87 

on the head, in which if we succeeded, 
death was the immediate consequence; but 
failing to hit them in this particular spot^ 
their heads would instantly swell up to a 
great size, and no beating after this would 
have any effect. 

We next skinned what we had slain, and 
transported the skins to our residence, when 
our next care was to beam them, laving 
them on a semicircular block of wood, and 
with a particular kind of knife, called a 
beaming knife, such as curriers and tanners 
use, we cut off all the fat and fleshy parts, 
adhering to the skins, and pegged them to 
the ground, leaving thern until they were 
perfectly dry; in \^hich state they were fit 
for shipping and a market. l*he seals go 
on shore for the purpose of bringing forth, 
and taking care of their young, and seldom 
at any other time ; leaving the island when 
their young are able to swim, and provide 
for themselves. Sealers divide them into 
three classes, pups, counsellors, and whigs. 



88 

The counsellors are always esteemed the 
best, and of course are selected, when their 
numbers will permit. The whigs are old; 
their colour of a silver grey. When sever- 
al thousands of old and young are lying on 
the shore, it is truly astonishing to see how 
readily each mother will recognize her 
own, in the multitude that to my eyes 
had no possible mark to distinguish 
them. 

We collected, in two months, fifteen 
thousand prime skins; and returning one 
night with a heavy boat load of green 
skins, to our usual place of landing, the 
surf had increased to an alarming degree, so 
much so, that I proposed to heave our car- 
go over to lighten the boat. But being 
over persuaded by my shipmates, I made 
the attempt to land. A heavy surf capsiz- 
ed the boat completely stern over head. 
As I w^as standing up steering the boat, I 
threw myself on one side clear of her, but 
my companions were swallowed in the 



89 

waves, and covered with the boat, which 
must have been the means of drowning 
them ; for I knew them to be expert swim- 
mers, and I found no great difficulty myself 
in reaching the shore. The reaction of the 
waves must have carried off the boat, and 
with it the bodies of my unfortunate 
shipmates, as I never saw either of them 
afterwards. 

We had left one man at the house to 
prepare our food and take care of the 
skins. I groped my way to him in the 
dark, and related the dismal tale. This loss 
made a deep impression on my mmd. But 
one moment before we were in high glee 
at our success, and the next seven poor 
souls taken off in a twinkling. They were 
all men of good character, and I had lived 
in great harmony and good fellowship with 
them, ever since the captain had placed 
them under my charge. We had been in- 
dustrious and successful, and had made fre- 
quent calculations what a noble voyage we 
8^ 



90 

should make, if the other gang were equal- 
ly successful with ourselves. Every one 
hundred and fiftieth skin taken was consid- 
ered a full share ; and each of these men 
were allowed one share; and estimating 
each seal to be worth two dollars in Canton, 
they had earned in these two months, near 
two hundred dollars. My share was in- 
creased by the captain, when he gave me 
charge of the gang, from every one hun- 
dred and fiftieth skin, to every one hundred 
and thirty fifth* 

Here, however, was an end of our visions 
of gain, and an end of employment ; as with- 
out a boat, we could take no seal, and even 
with one, we two could not manage her in 
the heavy surf, at all times heaving ashore. 
My feelings were much more wrought up 
with grief and disappointment, than they 
«ver were at my situation, when left on the 
island of cocoa nuts. It is true w*e wanted 
not for bread, fish, fowl, or meat ; but then 
we were on a desolate hideous rock, whose 



91 

sides formed in places immense barriers of 
perpendicular and extensive rock; the little 
openings in the cliffs, where the seals effected 
a landing, were rendered hideous by immense 
precicipices that threatened destruction to 
every thing below: neither shrub, bush, 
nor grass had we seen on any part of the isl- 
and, being one huge rock, on which the 
waves beat with a fury accelerated by the 
great distance they had to roll, before they 
were interrupted by this rough and perma- 
nent obstruction. The summit of this rock 
I had never ascended; but it must be sev- 
eral hundred feet from the water ; and thus 
placed by divine providence, that the harm- 
less animals, rapacious man has waged so 
cruel a war with, might have a resting 
place. 

My companion mused a long time in si- 
lence at the relation of our misfortune. 
Though rugojed and rough to appearance, 
he was a man of strong feeling, and many 
a tear of unfeigned sorrow we 3hed at the 



92 

loss of our shipmates. Little was said and 
nothing eaten this night. On the morning, 
I proposed going to the landing to view the 
scene of our misfortune* 

G. It is a satisfaction, Alek, that these 
poor fellows have left neither wives nor chil- 
dren to lament their loss. 

S. Yes, but they had parents and rela- 
tives to whom they were dear. 

G. That is true, but to such the loss f^ill 
not be of so much consequence : but why did 
not you exert your authority and insist upon 
heaving the skins out of the boat ? 

S. It is evident now I ought to have 
done it ; their time was come, and grief or 
complaining will not bring them back. 

G. I trust they have better quarters 
where they are gone, than they would have 
had here. 

S. No doubt they have; for God surely 
would not create children, to make them 
miserable, if he has the power to make 
them happy. 



93 

G. Well ! he certainly has the power ; 
and as a Father, no doubt the will ; but what 
are we now to set ourselves about ? 

S. We must emploj ourselves in taking 
good care of the seal skins we have collect- 
ed, and as the seals sometimes come on 
shore at the landing, near our hut, we can 
still be adding to our stock* 

We remained on this rock four months, 
when the ship to our great joy came to take 
us off. They had built and dispatched a 
small schooner to the north west coast, un- 
der the command of the third officer, with 
four men for the crew, to commence a trade 
for otter skins, with the natives. The ship 
had on board the seal skins taken by the 
gang at Massafuero, amounting to twenty 
five hundred, intending on stopping here, 
only to take the skins we had coUected, and 
leave us until the ship had been to the north 
west coast j but finding our numbers so re- 
duced, every thing was taken on board, and 
we left the island for the north west coast. 



94 

On this passage we were put upon short 
allowance of every thing. The captain and 
officers had become soured and morose ; and 
the case was very evident, we had lived 
too long together, and were heartily tired 
of the voyage, and each other. On arriving 
at Port Cox, on the north west coast, I left 
the ship with the captain's permission, first 
relinquishing all share of my past labours to 
him, as the price of his consent. He gave 
me, however, a cask of breads one of beef, 
and some trifling small stores. My reasons, 
for quitting the vessel, were the constant 
jarring of men and officers, and the entire 
departure of the captain from the terms of 
allowance, he had agreed to give, at the 
commencement of the voyage ; and sooner 
than live in hot water continually, with such 
a quarrelsome and disafl^ected set, I prefer- 
red taking my chance onshore among savages* 

I had secured the protection of a power- 
ful chief, at this place, named Wiccaninish, 
having in partnership with an Englishman 



95 

t)n shore, in much the same situation as my- 
self, made an agreement with the chief to 
enlarge a long boat which he had purchased 
of some ship on the coast. This chief was 
very kind to us, and ordered a hut built for 
each of us, near his own, interdicting the na- 
tives from entering within the pale of our 
dwellings. We were to have twenty sea- 
otter skins each, by agreement, when the 
work of enlarging the boat, should be com- 
pleted ; the chief finding all the materials, 
and men to assist, as we should want them. 
The season was too far advanced to think of 
finishing her until the next spring. My part- 
ner, (as I shall now call him) and myself 
employed ourselves in preparing stores for 
the coming winter. We had each two good 
muskets, and plenty of ammunition. We 
purchased with some otter skins, we had 
taken ourselves, some bread and other stores 
of a vessel lying in the harbour. We were 
at all times admitted into the dwelling of 
the chief, with whom my partner had much 
conversation, he speaking the language well 
enough to make himself understood. 



96 

In conversation with the chief, one even- 
ing, my partner asked him his motive for 
enlarging the boat we were engaged upon. 
His reply was, that all the land was to be 
covered with water, next year, and every 
person, not afloat, would be drowned by a 
great flood. He was asked if any thing of the 
kind had ever taken place before. He an- 
swered yes, but not since his day ; some long, 
long time past, a flock of large birds, he said, 
had taken each a whale in his bill, and as- 
cending very high in the air with them, they 
let them fall in the water, vf hen the waves 
became so great, as to overflow the land ! 
My partner and I had much conversation on 
this singular account. It was evident the 
natives had some confused notions of a del- 
uge ; and the story of the chief explained 
an enigma to us, we could never before find 
out. We had often observed on the hats of 
the natives, a rude figure of a bird, with a 
very large whale in his bill, painted on the 
crown ; and such of the natives as we appli- 
ed to, could give us no satisfactory explana- 



97 

tion of the mystery. It would seem from 
the story of the chief, and the paint- 
ing on the hats, that the tradition of there 
having been a flood was not unknown to 
them ; but upon what grounds he expected 
another deluge, we could not of ourselves 
divine. 

At our next meeting with the chief, my 
friend asked him the question, how he knew 
there was to be such another overflow of 
water as he had described. He rephed, 
that he had many prophets in his dominions, 
and one within a few miles, in whom he 
placed great confidence ; for he had never 
known him to prophecy wrong. Many in- 
credible stories were now related of this 
man's power. He had frequently foretold 
weeks beforehand, that a whale would be 
cast on shore in a certain place, in conse- 
quence of which the whole tribe had 
broken up their tents, and removed to feast 
on his carcass ; and that these predictions 
were very frequent, and never proved false. 
9 



9iJ 

This man it seems had predicted the com- 
ing deluge, and advised the chief to build 
the vessel, as the only means of saving him- 
self and family. My friend and I passed a 
very tough winter. We depended upon 
our guns for support. They sometimes 
procured us abundance, and at others the 
reverse. 

We learned in the course of the wmter^ 
that the vessel, dispatched from the Mar- 
quesis here to trade, had been cut off in 
the dominions of our own chief. I was con- 
firmed in the truth of the report by some 
articles I had recognized in the house of 
Wiccaninish, as having belonged to the ves- 
sel I had left. On asking the chief how 
he came by them, he answered that ** he 
had purchased them of a neighbouring 
tribe." I however saw guilt in his face, 
but durst not expose my knowledge and 
proofs of his treachery. 

My friend proposed, as a just retaliatioa 
upon him for this act of treachery, to build 



99 

the vessel of such construction as would ena- 
ble us to cross the ocean in her, and when 
finished to run away with her. I believe I 
should never have listened to such a scheme, 
if I had not felt an uncommon degree of 
exasperation, that this vessel should have 
been cut off, and so many of my former 
shipmates massacred. I consented to it 
willingly, and we passed much time during 
the winter, in devising the best means to ex- 
ecute our design. 

We had cut the long boat in two, and 
separated the parts some feet, to be filled 
up by our labours, and her timbers were to 
be raised to give her sufficient depth. As 
soon as the weather would permit, we set 
about the vessel with somewhat different 
views, from those v/e had on commencing 
with her. We prevailed upon the chief, 
to prepare himself with provisions, and wa- 
ter, for at least three, or even four months, 
as it was probable the deluge would con- 
tinue some time ; and by relinquishing oirr 



pay for the labour, he consented to take us 
both on board, during the flood. We had 
the vessel well prepared for our views, and 
the chief brought on board one hundred 
and fifty otter skins, being perhaps his whole 
property. On the night we intended run- 
ning away, the chief unexpectedly came on 
board. He appeared very uneasy, fre- 
quently going below and returning on deck. 
He asked if it Avas not our usual time of go- 
ing to sleep (having for some time taken 
up our quarters on board.) We answered 
*^yes,'' but out of respect to our visitor we 
could not think of it. As he seemed to de- 
sire it, to prevent suspicion we retired be- 
low leaving him on deck. We soon after 
heard some bustle above, and when from 
its ceasing we supposed our guest had gone, 
we again ventured on deck ; but to our ut- 
ter astonishment, the sails were unbent 
and carried awav,too^ether with the vessel's 
tiller. 

There was no running away for us this 
wight, but we were not discouraged, feeling 



101 

pretty sure with all his cunning that \Te 
should yet be a match for him. The next 
day he came on board and seemed to exult 
greatly in his last night's proof of sagacity. 
We affected not to understand his drift, and 
asked him why he had unbent and taken 
away the sails. He now told us, that just 
before night the prophet had sent a mes- 
senger to him, in great haste, to tell him 
the Englishmen intended running away with 
the vessel that same night ; and as the best 
way to prevent us, he had unbent the sails 
and taken them away. Now whether Wic- 
caninish fabricated this story, to cloak his 
own suspicions, and inspire us with a high 
idea of his prophet ; or whether the proph- 
et himself had seen or heard any thing to 
make him suspect us, I know not. This I 
know; we were blown up for that time. 

A great number of natives, in their large 
or war canoes, had been collecting for sev- 
eral days. These we found were to be hia 
9^ 



102 

guard, and suspected he was going upon 
some warlike expedition. 

When they were all assembled, the chief 
came on board with the sails, tiller, and 
four natives, intimating that he was going 
upon an expedition to the northward, and we 
must get the schooner under way. The 
breeze was fresh and fair. The motion of 
the vessel, so different from a canoe, made 
the chief sea-sick. We brought to, and 
put him on board his own canoe, leaving 
the four natives on board the schooner to 
watch us ; not suspecting we ceuld or 
would attempt any thing, at such fearful 
odds. In this, however, he mistook his 
men. 

The wind increasing, Ave soon left the 
canoes astern ; ^' and now/' says my friend, 
who was at the helm, ^^ I think with our 
muskets we could drive these fellows over 
board.'' I went below, observing it was 
now '* neck or nothing with us and no crip- 



103 

pies,^* Taking with me two loaded muskets, 
I returned on deck, and gave one to mj 
friend, at the same time ordering the la- 
dians overboard ; knowing them to be good 
swimmers, and that they could be picked 
up by the canoes astern. Seeing us reso- 
lute, and death impending, they left us with 
a jump, without waiting for a second bid- 
ding. We now hoisted the mainsail and, 
with the aid of a good stiflf breeze, soon 
bid adieu and a lasting one to Wiccan- 
mish. 

The breeze continued strong and weath- 
er clear, and before night the land was out 
of sight, and we steering south west. And 
now my friend and I held a consultation, as 
to the best possible course to be pursued. 
We were decidedly of opinion to quit the 
coast and this part of the world, as the sea- 
son was growing late and the weather al- 
ready tempestuous ; to steer southerly and 
gain the general trade wind ; thence attempt 
a passage to some civilized part of India* 



104 

My friend had been an officer on board an 
English vessel, which he quitted on some 
falling out with the captain ; and since we 
had been together, we had lived in great 
harmony. He was a man of much intelli- 
gence, an able navigator, of undoubted cour- 
age, and a great flow of spirits. We di- 
vided the labour between us, as equally as 
we could, taking watch and watch, and run- 
ning in the night, as well as in the day. 

The navigating part I submitted entirely 
to him. He had a quadrant, books, and 
some charts with him. I had taken the 
precaution always to carry in my pocket, 
since my disaster at cocoa nut island, a small 
compass ; and by this compass we directed 
our course on the ocean. On taking a survey 
of our stores we found abundance of every 
thing, except water; and of this article we 
were obliged to be very economical. We 
had very rough weather for some time, 
until we got into the trade winds ; and when 
well within their general limits, we altered 



105 

cmr course to the westward and set the 
square sail. 

Our vessel which we called the Runaway 
was no sailor ; having from the whim of the 
chief been obliged to preserve much of her 
original form. She was, however, strong 
and well finished ; but in my opinion not so 
good a vessel as the Effort. We made the 
island of Owvhee, one of the Sandwich Isl- 
ands, but fearing the natives we durst not 
approach near enough to have any commu- 
nication with them. We continued our 
course with a steady trade, intend- 
ing to stop at the island of Tinian, to re- 
plenish our water and stores. My friend 
and I had much conversation, and I am free 
to own the time passed more pleasantly on 
board the Runaway, than it did on board the 
Effort; and from this circumstance only; 
as other considerations gave the latter 
much the preference. 

The following conversation took place 
between us one pleasant afternoon as we 
were running the trades down. 



106 

S. What part of India do you think of 
going to with the Runaway? 

F. Our skins would sell best at Canton, 
and we could freight the proceeds to any 
part of Europe or America we chose. 

S. Suppose papers are demanded of 
us, and an account who we are and where 
we canoe from, what shall we say ? 

F. I have never considered that, and 
I think it would be impolitic to tell the 
truth about it. We must manufacture a 
story for the occasion. 

S. Upon the whole I am not perfectly 
convinced, that we have acted right with 
the old chief, in running away with proba- 
bly all his property. ^ 

F. Why! did not the old Turk murder 
your shipmates, and make prize of the ves- 
sel and cargo worth a dozen of this ? 

S. True he did; but his doing wrong is 
no justification of us ; aad I am very fear- 
ful ill-gotton wealth vvi'l not last long. 

F. We cannot perfectjy justify ourselves 
upon the strict rule of right and wrong*; but 



107 

when afiaongst Romans we must do as Ro- 
mans do. We have played them a savage 
trick: it is too late to repent; and must 
even make the best of it, and get out of 
the scrape as well as we can. 

S. Our water will not last us to any 
part of India : if we stop at Tinian how 
shall we get on shore ? 

F. Swim on shore, to be sure! And 
with a hatchet and wood, we can make a 
raft. You no doubt, would build a boat, if 
left to yourself. Now I think of it, I have 
been at one of the most interesting and re- 
tired places in the world, on the island of 
Luconia. We will run in there, and reship 
our property to some part of China unsus- 
pected. The story we will tell the Span- 
iards shall be, that we were a tender to an 
American vessel on the coast of North Amer- 
ica ; that our crew originally consisted of six 
men ; but that the other four were killed 
in an encounter we had with the natives, in 
Juan de Fuco straits ; that we got off bj 
out sailing: the canoes that attacked us; 



108 

and not finding our ship at the usu£?f place 
of rendezvous, we were afraid to remain 
long among the savages. 

S. The story is plausible enough, and, I 
think, necessary for our own preservation ; 
but once fairly out of this scrape,! will never 
be caught in such another. 

Thus passed the time ; and thus we see 
one deviation from rectitude leads to anoth- 
er. The only mitigation of the oflfence 
was the reflection, that we were punishing 
an old blood-thirsty chief, and perhaps he 
might have killed us both for our property : 
and on the score of self preservation it might 
perhaps be fully justified. 

We continued our course without any in- 
terruption, until in latitude fifteen degrees 
north, lono:itude one hundred and seventy 
five east, when we discovered an island. As 
w<*. approached it, we could discover smoke 
and signs of inhabitants. It was my advice 
to keep off, and not approach it nearer ; but 



109 

my friend was too bold to apprehend danger, 
before it had actually arrived. Seeing his 
determination, and not being less bold, but 
perhaps more prudent, I prepared our arms, 
in case we should want them. This island 
had a most enchanting appearance, inter- 
spersed with hill and valley, wood and plain, 
rivulet and cottage, in the most beautiful, 
manner imaginable. The scene presented 
was so enticing, that we both gazed with 
wonder and admiration, and with many 
regrets that we were doomed to so differ- 
ent a scene, as the life of a sailor presented, 
compared with a residence on such a beauti- 
ful spot. We were both very desirous to 
land on this island, but we thought it neces- 
sary to proceed with caution. As we dr@w 
near the shore, we observed many natives 
on the elevated spots, and soon after, a num- 
ber of canoes, frora behind a point of land, 
appeared, paddling towards our vessel. We 
now brought too, and prepared to meet them 
as friends, or foes^as the case might require. 

la 



no 

The canoes were small, and but two men in 
each and many of them. They approached us 
in a line abreast, with great regularity. We 
hoisted a white j9ag,as the only token of peace 
we could exhibit. When the canoes were 
within fifty yards of us, they ceased paddling, 
smd instantly gave us a regular discharge of 
stones from their slings. I am convinced 
from their size and velocity, if any of them 
had hit us, death must have been the conse- 
quence. Not wishing to hurt them, I fired 
a musket over their heads, in hopes to in- 
timidate them. At the same time^ I re- 
quested my friend to right the helm, and 
give us head way through the water, or they 
would certainly be on board, in which case 
they would not give him time to say '^ good 
bye Alek.'^ As we gained head way, the 
natives falling astern, soon took to their pad- 
dles again, in pursuit of us. Finding they 
would overtake us, we fired both muskets 
at the nearest canoe. The whole fleet stop- 
ped in a moment, and seeing their compan- 
ions fall in the water, they hastily picked 



Ill 

thein up, and all made towards the shore 
with the utmost swiftness. 

My friend proposed heaving about, and 
picking up the canoe ; which we soon exe- 
cuted, finding no difficulty in hauHng her on 
board. There were a few cocoa nuts, many 
stones, and two paddles in her. Holding a 
short consultation upon the possibility of 
landing, or making a peace with them, we 
concluded, all things considered, not to at- 
tempt further communication with them. 
The canoe thus made prize of, was of great 
yalue to us. 

We continued our course once more under 
full sail for the Island of Tinian, which we 
expected to have all to ourselves. My 
friend was a great moralizer ; and was ful- 
ly persuaded Providence had taken us un* 
der his particular guidance, as we had taken 
in the scuffle with the natives, what we had 
least thought of, and most wanted, a boeit to 
land with. This island was not laid down 



112 

in any chart we had on board ; but I after- 
wards found one near our situation, in anoth- 
er chart, called St. Bartholemi. 

In ten days after leaving this islnnd, we 
made the island of Tinian, and anchored at 
the southern end, opposite a white sandy 
beachjin ten fathoms water, about half a mile 
from the shore, over a bottom of hard sand 
and gravel. We now found great use for 
the canoe, which we constantly employed, 
bringing off water, limes, oranges, bread fruit 
and fire wood. We had no luck at hunting ; 
neither could we spare much time for the 
purpose, being fearful of losing the monsoon; 
and the weather was so warm, if we had 
killed an animal, it could not keep sweet 
twenty four hours. 

Having provided ourselves abundantly 
with the produce of the island, we weighed 
anchor and proceeded on our course a little 
more to the north,intending to pass round the 
northern end of Luconia. We continued 



113 

our course without accident,' until we an- 
chored at a small place, in the island of 
Luconia, where my friend was well acquaint 
ed, having been there the voyage before on 
his passage to China. 

This was a beautiful place, and near the 
mouth of a river, into which we hauled the 
Runaway, by permission of a Spanish gen- 
tleman, proprietor of the wharf or key, to 
which we made fast. The town of Bigan 
was at the distance of four or five miles up 
the river, where the government and civil 
authorities resided. With permission of 
the governor, we sold our vessel and cargo, 
for the sum of six thousand dollars, five 
hundred in cash, and bills on a merchant in 
Cadiz for the remainder. 

From this place we sailed in a schooner, 
bound to Batavia, and at that place I part- 
ed with my friend, he having friends and 
connections in Bengal to return to, and my 
wish being to return to my native place once 
10^ 



114 

»iore. My friend gave me a recommenda- 
tion to a house in London, and whom he 
authorized to negotiate our bills and receive 
his part of them ; I having engaged as 
quarter master on board an Indiaman bound 
to London. We had lived very amicably 
and shared so many dangers together, it 
was WMth regret we parted, promising to 
keep up a communication by letter; and 
the old adage on our lips that, " the best of 
friends must part," we l^id each other a 
final adieu. 

I arrived at London without any circum- 
stance worthy of note having taking place 
during the passage, received my discharge 
and a handsome recommendation from the 
captain. Seeking the house in London my 
friend had recommended to negotiate our 
bills, I was mortified arfd disappointed to 
learn, that the house they were drawn upon 
had lately failed, and would not pay one 
shilling in the pound. The only course now 
to be pursued would be, to return them 



115 

protested in a proper manner to the place 
whence they came. Here was an end of 
our ill-gotten gain ! convincing me by cer- 
tain experience that, honesty is the best pol- 
icy after all. 

I had some money left of my wages; and 
reserving enough to equip me for another 
voyage, I determined to spend the remain- 
der in viewing every thing worth notice in 
that great city. Hearing one day of an expe- 
dition fitting out by government for the pur., 
pose of carrying the bread fruit from Ota- 
heite to Jamaica, I determined to get a 
birth in this expedition, if possible, as my 
pride would not permit me to return home 
poor, and my natural inclination and curiosi- 
ty leading me on, I could not resist the 
temptation. On application to captain 
Bligh, I found all the officers w^ere engaged^ 
but from my recommendation, the captain 
would take me as an able seaman, with the 
promise of promotion, on the first vacancy. 
I passed myself as aa Englishman and only 



116 

t^venty years of asje. My looks did not be- 
tray me, as I had never indulged in spirit- 
uous liquor; and iny appearence was fresh 
and youthful; notwithstanding I was near 
twenty seven years old. 

The ship was called the Bounty of about 
two hundred and fifteen tons burthen, and 
fitted with every possible care for such an un- 
dertaking. The whole number of souls on 
board, at the time of sailing, was forty six. 
Our captain's name was William Bligh, who 
ranked as a heutenant in the royal navy. 
The next in command was John Fryer, sail- 
ing master; having two mates, William El- 
phinstone and Fletcher Christian, our pres- 
ent commodore. 

On the fourth day of October, one thou- 
sand seven hundred and eighty seven, the 
pilot got us under way, and several days 
after, we took on board our gunner's stores 
at Long reach, and our armament of four 
carriage guns, four pounders; and ten swiv- 



117 

els. After many unsuccessful attempts to 
get to sea, we finally succeeded with a fair 
wind, the twenty third day of December. 
January the fifth, 1788, we saw the island 
of Teneriffe and came to anchor in the road 
of Santa Cruz, where we took in water, 
wine, and such refreshments, as the island 
afforded, and we could procure. We left 
Teneriffe on the tenth day of January, all 
in good health. At this time the crew 
were divided into three watches, and the 
charge of the third given to Mr. Christian ; 
and our allowance of bread was reduced from 
full allowance to two thirds. 

On the second of March, Mr. Christian 
received a commission from the captain to 
act as lieutenant. March the tenth one of 
the crew received two dozen lashes as a 
punishment for a hasty word given to a mid- 
shipman. Twenty third of March we saw 
the coast of Terra del Fuego, when a se- 
ries of bad weather commenced, with much 
rain and a tremendous ugly cross sea, which 



118 

kept the ship iti violent motion the whole 
time. The cook fell and broke one of his 
ribs, and one of the seamen dislocated his 
shoulder. We continued beating against 
strong westerly gales, until the twentieth of 
April, when captain Bligh relinquished the 
design of doubling Cape Horn, and bore 
away for the Cape of Good Hope, to the 
great joy of all on board. On the twenty 
fourth of May, we anchored at the Cape of 
Good Hope, in Seaman's Bay; our ship 
much weather beaten, and requiring great 
repairs. We left the place all of us greatly 
recruited, on the first day of July. 

In our run to the eastward we encounter- 
ed many heavy and dangerous gales of 
wind. On the twenty eigth of July, we saw 
the island of St. Paul's, and on the twenty 
first of August, we anchored at Adventure 
Bay in Van Die men's land. Here we col- 
lected a large quantity of New Zealand tea, 
replenished our wood and water, and de- 
parted, September the fourth. On the 



119 

nineteenth of September we discovered a 
cluster of small rocky islands, to which cap- 
tain Bligh gave the name of Bounty Islands, 
considering them to be a new discovery. 
October the ninth, died Isaac Valentine : 
his body was committed to the deep with 
the usual solemnities. October the twenty 
seventh, we anchored in Matavia Bay, the 
place of our destination. Tents were erec- 
ted on shore, and a good understanding and 
trade commenced with the natives. In No- 
vember the boat-keeper received a dozen 
lashes, for suiferlng the natives to steal some- 
thing from the boat. December the nlnth,the 
surgeon died and was burled on shore the 
next day. December the twenty fourth, 
seven hundred bread fruit plants were taken 
on board In good order. January the thir- 
tieth, 1789, a seaman was punished with 
nineteen lashes for striking an Indian in his 
own defence. 

April the fourth we stood out of the bay 
with the sea breeze on our return. April the 



120 

twenty third we anchored at Annamooka. 
one of the Friendly Islands, where we re- 
plenished our wood and water, and depart- 
ed on the twenty sixth. On the twenty 
seventh of April, we were becalmed be- 
tween the islands of Tofoa and Kotoo. A 
more particular account of the transactions 
on board the Bounty previous to the twenty 
eighth of April is not necessary, as we have 
the log book of the ship, and several of the 
officers' journals ; and having taught most of 
you to read and write, you can at any 
time make yourselves acquainted with 
them. 

As to the causes that led to the mutiny 
on board the Bounty, that took place on the 
twenty eight of April, I shall only observe, 
that captain Bligh, in his endeavours to keep 
up a proper discipline on board the ship, ex- 
ercised an undue severity; more probably, 
than the character of the crew required. 
Had he, as he might without descending 
from the dignity of his office, condescended 



121 

to treat us as fellow mortals, possessed of 
some degree of feeling, and inclined us, as 
was in his power, to cultivate an affection 
for him; the unwarrantable act of my 
shipmates would not have been commit- 
ted. It is true the fascinations of Otaheite 
had taken strong hold of them, and their 
chance of happiness seemed much greater 
by remaining on the island, tl an again en- 
countering their former disagieeable situa- 
tion, on board the ship; and I am well 
convinced had their attachment to their 
commander been as stroLg, as it is always in 
the power of one to make it, the mutiny 
would never have taken place. 

I had been apprised of the intentions of 
the crew, and invited to join, which 1 de- 
clined ; but promised to stand neuter. My 
conduct here also, I am free to acknowl- 
edge} was not strictly correct ; but then I 
bore the captain no good will, and from his 
conduct towards me, he had no right to ex- 



11 



12S 

pect any stretch of duty towards him, es- 
pecially at the expence of my shipmates. 

On the morning of the twenty eighth of 
April, Lieut. Christian succeeded in forcing 
captain Bligh with eighteen others of the 
crew and officers into the launch. They 
were allowed to furnish themselves very 
liberally with stores of all kinds, before 
they were cast oiF. Some of the crew re- 
tained on board ship, expressed a wish to 
accompany the captain in the boat; but 
were not permitted. Many of the crew 
objected to so many stores of tools, twine, 
canvass, and other articles being allowed 
the boat ; observing, that with such kind of 
stores captain Bligh would enlarge his boat 
on one of the islands in sight, and find his 
way back to old England again. When the 
boat was cast off, those in her rowed to- 
wards the island of Tofoa, then in sight, 
about ten leagues distant. The ship con- 
tinued lying to Avith the main topsail to the 
mast ; and during ten minutes a deadly si- 



123 

lence prevailed, as each gazed at the boat, 
and reflected upon the desperate and inhu- 
man act they had been guilty of. 

Lieutenant Christian seemed more agita- 
ted and disturbed than any other person on 
board ; probably feeling more sensibly, at 
this particular time, the enormity of the act 
he had been guilty of, and the possibility 
that he might be called,at some future day, 
to answer with his life for the deed. We 
were next summoned aft, to consult upon our 
future proceedings. Lieut. Christian was 
unanimously chosen to command the ship, 
until her arrival at Otaheite ; and when 
there, each one should be at liberty, to act 
his pleasure, as to continuing on board or 
leaving her. 

We were in numbers at this time 
twenty five, and the following men 
w^ere chosen officers by the crew. 

Fletcher Christain, Captain, 

George Stewart, Mate, 



124 

Peter Hayward, 2d Mate, 

Edward Young, 3d Mate, 

James Morrison, Boatswain, 

John Mills, Gunner, 

Charles Churchill, ftlaster at armb, 

Charles Norman, Carpenter, 

Thomas Mc'lntosh, Carpenter's Mate, 

William Brown, Cook, 

Joseph Coleman, Cook's Mate ; 
fourteen of the men serving as the crew. 
We next filled away steering west north- 
west, while the boat was in sight. 

An unusal quantity of grog had been given 
out this day, and most of the crew w^ere in 
such a state of intoxication, as had the 
launch been near, we should have made 
a poor defence against recapture. When 
the boat was out of sight, we directed our 
course towards Otaheite. The next morn- 
ing it was suggested by. Mr. Young, that 
the natives not finding captain Bligh on 
board at our arrival, might suspect some 
foul play, and treat us accordingly. We 



125 

therefore by a majority of voices altered 
the destination of the Bounty for Toobouai, 
where we arrived not without many wrang- 
ies, and an evident want of that subordina- 
tion so necessary to the safe conduct of a 
ship. Lieutenant Christian seemed to have 
lost much of his resolute character; nor 
did he command with that confidence he 
had formerly. 

For myself, I was completely disgusted 
with the whole proceedings, and sorely la- 
mented the deplorable situation I now found 
myself in. From my aversion to liqour, I 
had but few friends on board, as I would 
not join the others in their cups. I how- 
ever steered clear of any quarrel, said lit- 
tie, and made it up in thinking. Go arriv- 
ing at Toobouai, we landed two of the guns 
and four swivels, intending to fortify our- 
selves against the attacks of the natives. 
But even this neccessary work did not 
progress much ; most of the men giving 
11* 



126 

themselves up to idleness, and intemper- 
ance altogether. 

There were many things this island, did 
not produce, that were abundant at Ota- 
heite ; it was therefore voted that the ship 
should proceed to that place, aud procure 
them. It fell to my lot to go in the ship 
again to Otaheite for the before mentioned 
purpose. I was pleased with the opportu- 
nity, as I was much attached to your moth- 
er, with whom I became acquainted in our 
former visit to that island, and was in hopes 
to prevail on her to embark with me on our 
return. This she would not consent to, as 
she had a great dread of the natives of 
Toobouai. Others of my shipmates were 
more fortunate in their persuasions. 

We obtained from the natives a good 
supply of goats, hogs, fowls and fruit in ex- 
change for iron, and articles from the ship, 
and returned to Toobouai, where we found 
the greatest confusion imagmable. Our 



127 

men could not agree among themselves, or 
with the natives, who had attacked tfiem 
twice, during our absence, and been beaten ; 
and it was only in these actions there was 
any unanimity among them. Neither was 
it in the power of the captain or any of his 
officers to restore it, as they acknowledged 
no master, and would not listen to remon- 
strance or reason. I had observed the state 
of captain Christian's mind for a long time. 
It was apparent he felt great remorse for 
the act he had been guilty of, that he had 
little or no respect for his associates, seem- 
ingly a man whose feelings were worked up 
to a great'degree of impatience, indecison, 
and almost desperation. He had discovered 
of late a considerable degree of confidence 
towards me in particular. 

One day being certain that we were 
quite alone, and in no danger of interrup- 
tion, I proposed to him to leave the place 
and embark all for Otaheite; and when 
there, to select a few of the most tractable 



128 

of the crew, take ourselves wives^and depart 
with the ship,for some desolate island, and run 
her on shore making up our minds, there 
to finish our days. I observed to him, there 
could be no doubt, in any one's mind, of the 
possibiHty or even the probability, that 
captain BHgh or some of his crew had been 
able to reach a civilized part of the world? 
in which case the hue and cry would be set 
up after us, and ships sent to seek us ; and 
when found, a halter would finish our ca- 
reer. This suggestion struck him forci- 
bly, and I could perceive a ray of hope in 
his eye. 

C But where shall we go ? 

S. I have been examining the charts and 
voyages on board the ship, for the purpose ; 
and Pitcairn's Island, discovered by captain 
Carteret, in the sloop Swallow, appears to 
be well adapted to our purpose. We can 
furnish ourselves at Otaheite with seeds, 
plants, fowls and hogs ; and all things con- 
sidered, I think it the best thing that can be 
done, by men in our situation* 



129 

C. I recollect the island; it is far to wind- 
ward. The ship is too much run out, and 
plundered of her stores, ever to beat there. 

S. That is nothing. If I could get across 
the ocean, in a boat, built almost entirely 
with ajackknife, surely in this ship, we can 
reach Pitcairn. or perhaps fall in with a 
similar island, that w^ill serve our purpose as 
well. 

C. It will do ; I'll set about it ; be se- 
cret ; and tell no one of our scheme. 

Giving me a hearty shake by the hand, 
and a tear starting from his eye, at this 
gleam of peace and security, we returned to 
our comrades. There was no difficulty in 
persuading the men to leave Toobouai. 
We embarked all hands again,and made sail 
the last time for Otaheite. Much circum- 
spection was necessary in selecting our asso- 
ciates for the intended expedition, and in 
keeping our plan a profound secret. 



130 

A relation of our proceedings at Ota- 
heite would not be interesting in detail, 
as your mother can instruct you in all the 
minute particulars : and as I intend this to 
be preserved in the Smith family, as a kind 
of record of their origin, I consider it par- 
ticular enough for that purpose. At Ota- 
heite we concluded to share the stores of 
most use, without any determination at that 
time, of what should be done with the ship. 
Soon after our arrival^ Charles Churchill 
and Matthew Thompson, came to blows 
about a woman, which ended in the death of 
Churchill. The natives in revenge for this 
violation of their laws, sacrificed Thompson 
as a peace offering to their gods. 

The following men were selected, and se- 
cured to be of our party : — Edward Young, 
John Mills, Matthew Quintal, William Mc 
Koy, John Williams, Isaac Martin, and Wil- 
liam Bi'own, with Fletcher Christian and 
myself, making in all nine men. We had 
each of us a wife on board ; neither of them. 



131 

however, suspectin.g our intention : and we 
gave out as an excuse for staying on board, 
the necessity of preserving the ship, and 
what remained of her stores, from being 
phmdered by the natives : and that it was 
also much cooler on board the ship, than on 
shore. The boats fell to the lot of the oth- 
er party, and they expressed a determina- 
tion of enlarging one of them, and leaving 
the island for some one more distant, and 
less frequented by Europeans, 

We had three small canoes, with which 
we communicated with the shore, and in- 
dustriously and secretly collected seeds, 
plants, roots, and in fact ^very thing, we 
thought would be of any use or service to 
us, where we were going : and the day 
before our departure, we carried on board 
a number of goats, hogs, and fowls. On the 
night of the twenty first of September, 1790, 
we cut the cable, and silently left the bay, 
steering with a free wind oif shore, to the 
southward. 



132 

In the morning the island was still in 
sight, and I expressed (in which I was join- 
ed by others) some apprehension, lest our 
shipmates, suspecting our design, should at- 
tempt to embark in the enterprize with us ; 
making it a question, if any of them should 
attempt coming on board, whether to admit 
them. We were unanimously of opinion 
they should not be admitted, as they had 
generally proved themselves unworthy our 
confidence or care. As a measure of pre- 
caution, we made ready our guns, and each 
man contributed from his share of ammuni- 
tion enougli to make a vigorous defence. 

We were becalmed most of the forenoon, 
during which we were employed in making 
ready for sea, preparing our guns for de- 
fence, and quieting the fears of our wives, 
who were much alarmed and affected at 
leaving their native place. At noon we dis- 
covered the cutter \vith eight men, rowing 
hard for the ship; but before they were 
within a gun shot, a breeze had sprung up ; 



133 

and by making all the sail we could on the 
ship, we left them fast, to our great joy ; as 
we did not wish to add murder to our other 
crimes, by opposing them, and which we had 
all determined to do, whatever might be 
the consequencca 

Having so far succeeded as to get away 
from our former shipmates, we congratulat- 
ed each other on our good fortune thus far; 
and each one took a solemn oath to live 
peaceably together for the time to come. 
There was not much apprehension of the 
contrary ; as we were all disgusted with the 
late proceedings, and fully determined to 
mamtain good order f^nd fellowship. Our 
rum too was all out, and this added much to 
strengthen such good resolutions. Before 
leaving the island we had drawn up a writ- 
ten agreement, by which we bound ourselves 
to obey the commands of captain Christian 
as chief, either on board the ship^ or on 
shore ; and to continue in force until revok- 
ed by the voice of two thirds of our number. 
12 



134 



My associates did me the honor to confer 
the next command upon me, and Mr. Young 
to be associated with us as the third in com- 
mand ; the whole number to be called on 
for their vote on great and important occa- 
sions ; and on common ones, the captain was 
bound to consult his two officers. The 
women were to have no voice in the gen- 
eral government ; and the property of the 
ship and her remaining stores and equip, 
ment should, for the present, be considered 
public property to be distributed to each 
one as his wants might require. We di- 
vided ourselves into two watches, the wo- 
men taking turns to cook for us, and admit- 
ted on a perfect equality with their hus- 
bandsj excepting the above proviso. 

We had the wind from south eastjand stood 
to the southward close hauled, intending to 
gain the variable winds for the purpose of 
running to the eastward, as a more expedi- 
tious way of reaching Pitcairn, than to at- 
tempt beating against a regular trade wind. 



135 

On the morning of the twenty third day oi 
September, sea account, we picked up a ca- 
noe with six men in her, belonging to Ota- 
heite. These men had been at sea six 
days, and were now almost starved with 
huno:er and cold. We could not well refuse 
their importunity to be taken cn'4)oard. 
They had left Otaheite for a neighbouring 
island; and having lost sight of the land 
they were perplexed in their course, and 
had been paddling about in an uncertain 
direction ever since. I looked upon it a very 
unfortunate circumstance, that we should be 
compelIed,asit were,by an unavoidable neces- 
sity, to receive these people on board, fear- 
ing they would make difficulty with our wo- 
men, they being also of the lower order of 
society, even at Otaheite. 

On the morning of September the twen- 
ty sixth, we saw the island of Ohetiroa a 
few miles to windward of us; and here I 
proposed setting the indians adrift again, in 
their own canoe, which we had hoisted on 



136 

deck ; but in this I was opposed by every 
voix:e on board. First they were not ac- 
quainted at the island, and might be kil- 
led ; next they did not want to leave us ; 
and lastly, as we should have much work 
on our hands at Pitcairn, they would be of 
great service to us, in cultivating and clear- 
ing the land. We continued steering to the 
southward, as the trade wind would permit. 

On the thirtieth day of September, in 
latitude 34'' 30' south, we took a strong 
breeze from the westward, and altered the 
ship's course to east. The weather now 
threatened a heavy gale. We sent dawn 
top gallant yards and made every thing snug. 
At meridian the gale had much increased. 
We took in our topsails, and under the reef- 
ed foresail, we scud before one of the most 
tremendous gales of wind, I ever encoun- 
tered. The natives on board were much 
alarmed; but the ship being tight and 
strong, ^ve had no fears on her account. 
We continued our course to the eastward, 



137 

until judging ourselves in longitude 130 de- 
grees west, we concluded to stand again to 
the northward, until we should be in the 
latitude of Pitcairn. 

October the eighth,we commenced steer- 
ing to the northward, with variable winds 
and squally weather. No transaction of an 
unpleasant nature had as yet taken place on 
board : on the contrary, we all seemed as 
happy and cheerful, as falls to the lot of 
man. Our wives, it is true, made many 
lamentations, at leaving the scenes of their 
youth ; but every day they were more rec- 
onciled to their fate. The only discontent- 
ed faces were those of the native men we 
had picked up; and of a truth they had 
not much in prospect to comfort them. 

On the fifteenth of October, finding our- 
selves in latitude 25 degrees south, and our 
longitude by account being 128'^ 30' west, 
at meridian we bore away west for the isl- 
and, placing a man at the mast head to look 
12* 



138 

out. At 4, P. M. we saw the island bearing 
due west, at the distance of ten leagues 
Great was our joy at this event; for had 
we not taken the precaution of running to 
the eastward of its situation, as laid down 
by captain Carteret, we should certainly 
have missed the island. 

We run for the center of it, until six 
o'clock, looking at it all the time, with 
more anxiety, I must confess, than I ever 
before experienced in any situation of life. 
Here undoubtedly I was doomed to spend 
the remainder of my days; and this circum- 
stance alone was enough to excite in me a 
lively curiosity, and great anxiety to know 
what sort of a place it would prove to be ; 
and as we approached the place we discov- 
ered such beautiful groves of cocoa nut and 
other trees, and such beautiful scenery of 
hills and vallies, that hope still flattered us 
it would prove all, or even more than we 
had a right to ex.pect. At night, being near 
enough the island, we hauled on the wind 
under our topsails for the night. 



139 

After supper a general consultation was 
held in the cabin, where we unanimously 
concluded to run the ship on shore, at the 
most suitable part of the island we could 
select, to land every useful thing from, and 
break or burn her up. This was the best 
possible plan, that could be devised, for 
people in our situation, though a desperate 
one. We were all more or less thoughtful, 
during the night. The women were not 
aware of our design ; but no signs of irres- 
olution were evinced by my companions. 

October the sixteenth, by civil account, at 
daylight we filled away, running for the 
eastern end of the island. As we approach- 
ed it, we could not help expressing our de- 
light, that if we must spend our days here, 
the place seemed peculiarly adapted to our 
purpose. Having nearly circumnavigated 
the island, and found no place suitable to 
land ; on the south west side, we discov- 
ered a fine bay or cove, an extensive val- 
ley, leading with a gentle rise inland^ cover- 



140 

cred with cocoa, and other trees ; and a 
brook or rivulet winding through the whole. 
Fixing on the mouth of this brook,as a prop- 
er place, with ail sail set, a good breeze on 
our quarter, and three hearty cheers, we 
run the Bounty hard and fast ashore ! 

Her stern being afloat, she soon swung 
round, presenting her broad side to the 
shore, which tended greatly to keep off the 
violence of the surf, and enabled us to land 
the women ; some of them requiring to be 
tenderly handled. Our next care was to 
land the sails, and a party to erect tents for 
shelter with them, under the superinten- 
dance of Mr. Young ; and, with the addi- 
tion of our spare spars, we all had comfort- 
able lodgings during the night. 

The ship soon bilged and partly filled 
with water, the surf beating very hard over 
her. There was nothing, however, in the 
hold, could damage much by water ; as we 
had taken the precaution to remove every 



141 

thing of value between decks, before we ran 
on shore. The tide had ebbed considera- 
bly, in the afternoon, and enabled us to make 
great dispatch in discharging. The women 
were distressed on first discovering our in- 
tention of running on shore ; but when the 
deed was done, and they were convinced 
it was irrevocable, they willingly assisted 
us to the extent of their strenoth and 
abilities. Before night, we had landed 
the most valuable articles froniT on board, 
having laboured hard, and until darkness 
obliged us to desist ; w^hen captain Chris- 
tian assembled us one and all together, and 
read a prayer from the book, with some lit- 
tle alteration, making it applicable to people 
in our situation : and this custom, my dear 
children, has been adopted, without any 
neglect, ever since. 

We were employed many days in trans- 
porting the contents of the Bounty on shore ; 
and even part of the Bounty herself 3 the 
women employing themselves in building 



142 

houses after the manner of Otaheite, at 
which they were very expert ; and as the 
houses were completed, we availed our- 
selves of the tents to deposit our stores in, 
Mr. Edward Young was entrusted with the 
direction of laying out the plan of the vil- 
lage, with such of the women as were in a 
situation to assist. The place fixed upon is 
where Violet Village now stands. The first 
house finished is the one now occupied by 
our commodore. There have been many 
alterations to it, since it was first erected. 
The flooring has been added, and the small 
room back, which now serves us for a libra- 
ry, and the deposit of our records, stationary, 
and most vahiable articles. The other 
houses were first completed upon the Ota- 
heite plan, but altered from time to time, ac- 
cording to the fancy or whim of the owner, 
to the state they now appear in, at the writ- 
ing of this history. 

As John Williams was an excellent pen- 
man, he was chosen secretary, and charged 



143 

with the duty of keeping an exact account of 
every thing brought from the ship, and how 
distributed, to whom, and when, in a book 
expressly for the purpose.In another book he 
was orderd to keep a kind of town-clerk re- 
cord of all marriages, names of parties, births 
and deaths, that should take place on the isl- 
and. On the twentieth day of October, 
1790, captain Christian went through the 
ceremony of marrying each individual of us, 
according to the rites of the church of En- 
gland, and choosing me to read the service 
on his own marriage, which you will find an 
account of, in the town records, as written 
bv Mr. Williams at the time. We made 
this a day of frolic altogether ; and there 
seemed no alloy to our pleasure, except the 
sulky and discontented appearance of the 
six Indians. 

It was fortunate, according to the rules 
of civilized life, these ceremonies were per- 
formed at the time they were, else Mrs. 
Christian would not have been considered 



144 

an honest woman, for the next day, being 
Thursday, October the twenty first, 1790, 
she presented her husband with a fine boy ; 
and being the first born on the island, the 
day was celebrated with a republican dis- 
charge of thirteen guns, and with great re- 
joicing. His father named him Thursday 
October Christian, and predicted he would 
be chief of a much larger community. To 
William Brown, gardener, was given the 
charge of planting in suitable places, such 
seeds and plants, as we had brought with us 
from Otaheite, or as were previously on 
board the ship. 

r 

At the end of this year, we had increased 
the republic by the birth of seven children; 
three boys and four girls. Our native men 
gave us much trouble and uneasiness ; nor 
could we by any acts of kindness conciliate 
them in any degree. They had been ac- 
customed to living in a promiscuous inter- 
course with the women at Otaheite ; and 
the restraints they were obliged to submit 



145 

to, made them very troublesome and ill na- 
tured. We voted them out of our society 
altogether ;'''^iving them a portion of land 
on the eastern end of the island, and a full 
share of every thing necessary to their com- 
fort and subsistence. We there placed 
them with a positive declaration, if they 
were ever caught beyond the limits pre- 
scribed them, we should either of us, feel 
at perfect liberty to shoot them. They 
were not pleased with this arrangement, as 
they were lazy indolent men, and had other 
views in contemplation. 

On first landing the stock from the Boun- 
ty, w^e suffered several hogs, goats and 
fowls to go at large, whence the great in- 
crease of these creatures at this time. Some 
inconveniences have attended the measure ; 
vre have been obliged to inclose with good 
fences all our cultivated grounds; and 
through these they sometimes break; and 
commit great depredations. On the other 
hand^ we have been saved the trouble of 
13 



146 

rearing and feeding them ; and it is in our 
power to catch or shoot them at any time ; 
the hunting of them being a sou#e of amuse- 
ment and relaxation. The garden seeds 
were found accidentally in a box on board 
the Bounty. To this circumstance you are 
indebted for the pease, beans, cabbages, 
squashes, turnips, and other roots, which 
flourish so well in our gardens. The girls 
also are indebted to this store for the roses 
and flowers, with which they ornament our 
houses and gardens. 

Having built a comfortable house for 
each family, we built a large and secure 
store house, in which we deposited the ar- 
ticles saved from the ship ; many of which 
we have now on hand, and are such as will 
be always useful to us; such as bar and 
bolt iron, hatchets, and tools of various 
kinds, clothing, salt beef, pork, and hard 
bread, pease, oatmeal, a smith's forge, med- 
icine chest, spare rope, and all her arma- 
ment, of four four-pounders, ten swivels ; 



147 

of muskets, cutlasses, and pistols, each man 
had but one, and such a proportion of pow- 
der and ball, as fell to his lot, when these 
articles were shared at Otaheite ; many 
books of voyages, travels, and navigation, 
and a considerable quantity of writing pa- 
per, stationary and blank books. These 
labours, with clearing and planting as much 
land as we could, completed the year. 

On new years day, captain Christian cal- 
led a general meeting for arranging some 
plan of future proceedings; when it was vo- 
ted, that three men should be sent out for 
the express purpose of exploring the island, 
and ordered to report the general appear^ 
ance of the shores and interior, and its pro« 
ductions, fix upon a suitable place for a 
country residence, and a secure place for a 
citadel to be built, that we might defend 
ourselves, if unfortunately our retreat should 
be discovered by any one sent expressly for 
the purpose of apprehending us. The 
strong probability that captain Bligh had 



148 

reached home, and that ships were now on 
their passage in search of us, warranted 
this precaution. We all took a solemn oath 
to stand by each other, in any such emer- 
gency, and not voluntarily surrender our- 
selves to the probability of an ignominious 
death. 

As our si X natives gave us still much 
trouble, we had an interesting debate as to 
the best plan of proceeding with them ; and 
here I was pleased that no one proposed 
their death, although we had threatened 
them so strongly and as they had passed the 
barrier so often. It was concluded to build 
a decked boat of sufficient capacity for the 
voyage, instruct them in the management of 
her, and what course to steer for some isl- 
and to leeward, on which they might land; 
and once more set them adrift. As they 
were not worthy to live with us, and our 
lives were in a continual jeopardy from 
them, this could not be considered cruel, and 
might turn out fortunately for the Indians, 



149 

Edward Young, William Brown, and John 
Williams were chosen to explore the island, 
and requested to make their report in writ- 
ing, that it might be inserted in the town 
records. The following report was made 
by Mr, Young in behalf of the committee. 

" We took our departure from the village 
on the morning of the second day of Janua- 
ry, 1791, proceeding inland along the course 
of the river. We have taken the liberty 
of giving such names to the different parts 
of the island, as seemed most appropriate. 
This we considered highly necessary to be 
done, and the names here subjoined can be 
altered or revised at pleasure. To the 
river we gave the name of Violet, from the 
immense numbers of this plant we observed 
growing near the banks. Where our vil- 
lage stands, the river is about fifteen feet 
wide, and three feet deep, perfectly clear; 
and the water of the best kind for drinkina; 
or washing. Its course is not very rapid at 
the village ; but as the ground has a gradu- 
13* 



150 

al ascent from our habitations, the course of 
the river is somewhat accelerated over an 
inclined bottom. To the large peaked hill 
in sights and near the village, we gave the 
name of Pyramid from its near resemblance 
to one, in some points of view. As we pro- 
gressed up the river, we found the valley 
to increase in breadth, being about two miles 
and a half in extent, from the foot of the 
hills on either side, at the distance of one 
mile from the village. A long range of 
hills forms a barrier on the northern side of 
this delightful valley, whence issued, from 
the fissures in their rocky sides, numerous 
streams of clear water, contributing to the 
main river. 

The range of hills, on the north, extend- 
ed in an easterly direction, the whole length 
of the island, from their commencement 
near the north side of the village. This 
range of hills was very uneven and irregu- 
lar ; some parts of the range ending in high 
$^nd lofty peaks ; others presenting to view 



151 

a continued flat, broken at times by immense 
chasms, as if some convulsion of nature had 
removed the parts asunder, without loss on 
either side. To this range of hills we gave 
the general name of Landmark hills, leav- 
ing the different parts of it to be named at a 
future day. 

We found the valley in general, covered 
with wood ; such as cocoa nut, elm, cedar, 
cashew, and bread-fruit trees ; on the rise 
of the hills sugar cane, savine, and bushes, 
bearing berries unknown to either of us. 
The summit of the hills were generally a 
hard black rock, with now and then a patch 
of grass and fern. At the distance of two 
miles from the village, we came to a most 
delightful fall of water, over a complete 
barrier of craggy rocks, extending from 
side to side of the valley and about fifty 
feet high. Here we sat down to prepare 
our dinners, and contemplate one of the 
most delightful scenes, that nature and 
solitude could produce. 



152 

Having finished our repast, with some 
difficulty we ascended this barrier, whence 
the valley presented much the same ap- 
pearance as below the falls ; and here an im- 
mense chasm, in Landmark hills, presented 
a fair passage through them, to a valley on 
the other side. We passed this opening, 
giving it the name of Narrow pass, intend- 
ing to explore it on our return. As we pro- 
gressed in the valley, we came to a beauti- 
ful pond, at the distance of three miles from 
the village, and one mile from the water 
fall. This pond was about one mile long, 
and three quarters of a mile broad, in the 
middle of which was an island, covered 
with palm and other trees, the whole seem- 
ing more like enchantment than like any 
thing real. 

We travelled entirely round this pond ; 
the shores being clear of underbrush, but 
somewhat I hick with trees. At the eastern 
end of the pond, the ground presented a 
steep hill, forming a perpendicular preci- 



153 

pice ^n the ocean side, against the base of 
which, the sea beat in awful splendor. On 
one side of us, Landmark hills rose suddenly 
to the height of sixty feet ; and on the other 
side a hill presented a similar barrier, to 
which we gave the name of East watcher. 
At the distance of half a mile from the shore, 
is a small islet, covered with shrubs, and con- 
taining about fifty acres, and three rocks 
near it, completed our reseaches in this di- 
rection. As the only possible way of pro- 
ceeding was to return the way we came for 
the present we gave the name of Fendoff, 
to this small island. 

The pond, before spoken of, was covered 
with ducks and teal ; and never having been 
visited by man before, they shewed but lit- 
tle fear of us. Having our guns with us, 
we killed as many as would supply our wants, 
and keep sweet. It is probable they breed 
on the island, and have had this place to re- 
sort to for ages undisturbed. In our pro- 
gress to the east end of the island, we had 



154 

taken our course on the north slrle of the 
vallej ; on our return we took the south 
side ; and near the western end of the pond, 
(to which we gave the natne of Brown'e 
pond, he having been the first discoverer) 
we discovered an opening between the East 
watcher, and a high hill that had the ap- 
pearance of the gable end of a house, which 
we named Gable hill. 

On entering this passage, the ground pre- 
sented a gentle declivity to the sea shore, 
near which the six Indians had erected their 
huts, and round which they had cleared a 
few acres of ground. This appeared the 
most fertile and productive spot we had yet 
seen, and fronted the south east. Having 
our arms with us, the natives were some- 
what alarmed, at our sudden appearance in 
this quarter, as we carried them there by 
water, and they had as yet received no visits 
by land. It was through the above men- 
tioned pass, they generally intruded them- 
selves upon our settlement* The place 



155 

could not be approached by any way, other 
than this pass, or by water. 

The space of land, capable of cultivation 
at this place^ was two miles in extent along 
the sea shore, and about one mile wide. 
We called this spot by the general name of 
Indian village ; and the pass by which we 
entered, Indian pass. After refreshing our* 
selves at this village, we returned through 
th« pass, and continued our course to the 
water fall of Violet river. We thought it 
advisable to cross the river, which was 
eight feet wide at this place ; and explore 
the regions through Narrow pass. 

This pass was nearly one mile in extent 
of a zigzag form; one side being the exact 
counterpart of the other, both sides perpen- 
dicular, and from eighty to one hundred feet 
high. Being through the passage, we dis- 
covered another valley below us, seemingly 
of great extent. Landmark hills being join- 
ed, about one mile on our right, by a high 



156 

hill ending in a double peak, something in 
appearance, like the knight heads of a ship; 
and from this resemblance, we named it 
Knighthead hill. Descending the hill from 
the pass, the trees not being so numerous, 
as in the other valley, and the ground cov- 
ered with long rank grass, we came to a cove 
whose shores were covered with fine white 
sand ; immediately in front of which was an 
island, less than half a mile distant, which 
broke off the force of the surf very much. 

In this cove we found a great number of 
real fur seals, basking in the sun. With 
each of us a good club, we attacked them ; 
and before they had made good their re- 
treat, we had killed fifty of them. Know- 
ing to how many useful purposes their skins 
could be applied, vre set diligently to work, 
skinning, cleaning and spreading them on 
the ground to dry. To this cove we gave 
the name of Seal cove, and to the island 
opposite, the name of Seal island ; which 
was very high, on the north side of it ; but 



157 

on the side opposite, the cove presented to 
view a fine beach, on which we observed 
great numbers of seals. This island could 
not be discovered as such, from the sea, as 
from no point of the compass could the hor- 
izon be distinguished between the shores of 
either island. 

We took turns during the night to watch 
for turtle, as there were evident marks of 
their having been on shore the night before. 
We had the good fortune to turn two fine 
ones, of about five hundred pounds each. 
We could have taken more, but had no 
means of conveying them to the village. 
We made a most delicious meal from one of 
them, leaving the other to be taken away 
at our leisure. On the extreme north of 
the island was a hill whose numerous peaks 
towered above any others we had seen. 
We did not ascend this hill, as we could 
have a full view of its gently inclined sides 
covered here and there with groves of co- 
coa and other trees, without the trouble of 
14 



158 

ascending ; and from the cove we could see 
that its sides were perpendicular next the 
sea. To this we gave the name of North 
watcher ; and continued our course to the 
westward through the woods. Here we 
saw two of the hogs we had let loose upon 
the island ; and ohserved they were feed- 
ing upon nuts, that had fallen from a tree ; 
to all appearance the same as our English 
beech. 

We had observed the earth to be gener- 
ally of a black colour, rich, and fat ; many 
trees of a hard nature, totally unknown to 
us, many bushes bearing berries, and in 
many places plenty of ginger, and many ^ 
roots and plants unknown to us. And, in 
this second valley, we observed the sugar 
cane and bread fruit in great abundance. 
Parrots, parroquets, and doves were the 
principal birds of the land species, we have 
seen ; ducks and teal we have before men- 
tioned, as being plenty in the pond ; on the 
barren height were many birds of the 



159 

oceanic kind ; such as the albatross, gannet, 
boobie, and tropic bird. We had no op- 
portunity to try the shores for fish ; but 
the IiK3ians had caught many, near the 
shore in their canoe ; such, they informed 
us, as cray, and parrot fish, groopers, snooks, 
albicores, bonitoes, and dolphins; of shell fish, 
conches and muscles in plenty. 

As we progressed to the westward, we 
came to a large savannah or meadow, which 
at times must be entirely overflowed, con- 
taining near one thousand acres, quite clear 
of wood, but overgrown with bamboo. A 
high ridge of hills, on the north, extending 
to the extreme western end of the island, 
to which we grave the name of North bar- 
rier, forming one side of the valley, and 
Landmark hills, the other side. As w^e ap- 
proached the western end of the island, the 
accumulation of waters from the neighbour- 
ing hills were discharged by a brook, wind- 
ing round the bluff end of Landmark hills, 
and emptying itself through a large fissure in 



160 

the rocks, at about one half of a mile from 
the mouth of Violet river. To this brook 
we gave the name of Rapid, from the ve- 
locity with which it descended in its course., 
over the rocks and stones. 

The western end of the island is formed 
much like the heel of a shoe, forming an 
immense precipice on the ocean side, from 
the North barrier, round to near the mouth 
of Violet river. At about one mile from 
the west end of the island, a projection of 
rocks from the barrier, terminating in a 
peak, left an entrance of one quarter of a 
mile wide, into a most beautiful valley, in 
the form of a horse shoe ; the longest diam- 
eter of which being about one mile. To 
this valley we gave the name of Horse-shoe, 
from its form ; and to the two peaks, at its 
entrance, the names of Centinels, designa- 
ting one from the other by north, and south, 
as they stood. 

The barriers round this Horse-shoe were 
about fifty feet high^ on the inside, and one 



161 



hundred feet high next the ocean. We as- 
cended the rocks with some difficulty ; and 
off the west end of the island, at a short 
distance, lie three rocks ; and being the last 
thing observed we called them Committee 
rocks. To the first valley, through which 
Violet river runs, we gave the general 
name of Christian valley ; and tcuthe valley 
on the north of it, we gave the name of 
Smith's valley; in honour of the persons 
whose names they bear. We would recom- 
mend Christian valley, as the most favour- 
able place for the cultivation of any thing, 
as advantage can be taken of moist or dry 
spots, as the different articles to be raised 
require. Violet river can be navigated to 
the falls, by flat bottomed canoes or boats ? 
and the water can be led all over the valley, 
in gutters or troughs from the falls above. 
The art of man could never have planned 
so eligible a spot, as this valley for every 
domestic comfort and convenience. In 
short, the whole island is so admirably 
adapted to our wants and protection, we 
14* 



162 

can never be thankful enough that God has 
cast our lot in such pleasant places. 

Horse-shoe valley is a citadel of itself. 
The passage between the north and south 
Centinel being the only possible way of ac- 
cess to it ; and is as capable, as any part of 
the -island, of cultivation and improvement. 
It is at the distance of two miles and a half 
from the village, and our small numbers 
could defend it against any probable force, 
which could be brought against it. We 
would recommend fortifying this entrance^ 
and building several huts or houses in the 
valley wiihin; and storing it with provi- 
sions to stand a siege. We would also re- 
commend a look-out to be kept from some 
eminence, that notice may be given by sig- 
nal, when a sail is in sight ; that we may 
take such security before their arrival at the 
island, as our fears, or prudence may sug- 
gest. We would observe that, in our walks 
over the island, we have not seen snake, 
toad, rat or reptile of any kind, and but few 



163 

insects. Accompanying this report, is an 
imperfect sketch of the face of the island, 
and the names given of the different hills 
and vallies." 

Signed, EDWARD YOUNG, 

WILLIAM BROWN, 
JOHN WILLL\MS. 
Pitcairn, January the 12th, 1791. 

We were much pleased with the account 
given of the place in the foregoing report ; 
Captain Christian complimenting the com- 
mittee upon their faithfulness in discharge of 
the duty assigned them. 

The next thing indispensibly necessary to 
our safety Avas to rid ourselves of the na- 
tives at Indian Village. We immediately 
set about a decked boat for them, at the 
mouth of Violet river, and as we had plenty 
of materials to spare, and many hands em- 
ployed, our work went on with more expe- 
dition than the building cf the Effort. On 
the first day of March, we were ready foF 



164 

launching ; and I looked upon this vessel to 
be fully adequate to carry these six wretch- 
es, we had snatched from death, to any isl- 
and within the general trade wind and to 
leeward of our own. We had built the 
boat strong, and very flat, and rigged her a 
sloop, with but one mast, and two sails. 
We had rigged a canoe after this fashion, 
and taken the chief man amongst them to 
sea for the purpose of instructing him how 
to steer by a compass, and manage such a 
rigged vessel. 

To our surprize they all seemed delight- 
ed with the prospect of once more returning 
to Otaheite ; but not more so than we were 
at the prospect of their leaving us ; feeling 
well assured, that when once they were all 
on board, and to leeward of the island, 
we should never be troubled with them af- 
terward, as it was morally impossible from 
the construction of the boat, thev should 

a/ 

ever beat to windward in her. The lead- 
ing man among the natives was allowed to 



165 

make such arrangements on board the boat, 
(which we called the Forceput) as he chose ; 
and the whole of them entered into our 
Tiews with alacrity, preparing such articles 
as would be necessary, and useful to them 
on the passage. 

» 
I have neglected to mention, in its proper 

place, that four men under the command of 
Mr. Youngs, w^ere sent round to Seal cove, 
for the purpose of bringing to the village 
the seal skins and turtle that had been left 
there by the exploring party. After an 
absence of one night, the canoes returned 
with ten fine turtle, which we secured in 
salt water, that we might kill, and eat them 
at our pleasure. These turtle we consider- 
ed as a great acquisition. They were a 
great delicacy, and promised an abundant 
supply 

The seal skins were not brought away, at 
this time, as the canoes were quite loaded 
with the turtle ; at the next trip, however. 



166 

they were safely landed at the village^ and 
proved in the end of great use to us. 

We had erected a small flag staff, on 
Pyramid hill, and signified to Tomatoa, the 
chief of the Indians, that when he saw a flag 
hoisted on this staff, he and his associates 
were to repair immediately with all their 
moveables, to our landing at the river. The 
Forceput being all ready for sea, and for 
launching, a general council was called by 
captain Christian, to consult upon the course, 
and instructions to be given the Indians for 
their intended voyage. 

This was an interesting debate, as it prob- 
ably involved circumstances of much conse- 
quence to us all, and which we should not 
have attended to, but from the suggestion 
of our captain, who had always presided at 
our debates, in a style of order and dignity. 
He began on this occasion by stating the ob- 
ject of the meeting and debate ; he was 
confident, he said, that he could make the 



167 



destination of these savages appear of more 
consequence than any of us had heretofore 



imagined. 



Christian. " It is well known, that the 
character of Englishmen generally, and of 
their government, does not tend so much to 
the prevention of fraud and crime, as their 
ingenuity and perseverance does to the de- 
tection and punishment of them, when com- 
mitted. Considering the manner of captain 
Bligh's leaving the Bounty, and the liberal 
supplies allowed him at the time, there can 
be but little doubt of his having reached 
Great Britain, by the way of India. The 
government will not hesitate to dispatch one 
or more vessels to Otaheite, for the double 
purpose of bringing as many of the mutin- 
eers to trial, as can be found, and complet- 
ing the object for which the Bounty was 
originally fitted out. Should these natives 
be fortunate enough to reach Otaheite, by 
a course we shall give them, the novelty 
of their vessel, and the story of the na- 



168 

lives will become notorious. Any officer 
that might be in search of us, could not 
fail of hearing this fact, and the story 
these six Indians shall have told, will 
naturally lead such officer to a strict inquiry 
as to the length of their passage, the course 
steered, and the number of men left here. 
With such intelligence for them to act upon 
we should inevitably be found out ; and you, 
my friends, must be well aware of the fatal 
consequences in such an event. 

It is true we have been guilty of a great 
sin, especially in the eyes of our govern- 
ment, whose existence, as such depends 
upon the strictest discipline on board their 
ships of war. Our not having blood on our 
hands will not excuse us ; and we shall be 
made an example to deter others from the 
like deed. I am not without my hopes, 
however, that by a life devoted to moral 
and good actions, we may atone to our Ma- 
ker, in some measure, for this deviation 
from rectitude. There is no doubt these 



169 

wretches will steer the course we shall give 
them, until they see land somewhere. The 
question is now before you, what course 
shall we order them to steer and for what 
place ?" 

/. Williams. "The Porceput is victualled 
for a four month's passage ; with economy, 
their stores might last longer. She is strong 
and fit for any weather. New Zealand is 
out of harm's way, at the distance only of 
2500 miles. The language of the natives is 
so similar to that of New Zealand, as would 
be'of great advantage to them on their ar- 
rival. The various courses they may steer, 
would place it out of their power to state 
whence they came. They would arrive 
there in thirty days, admitting they should 
have sailed ninety miles per day." 

E. Young. « It would be better to knock 

them all on the head, than to send them on 

a passage of this kind, {'ontrary winds 

would run them out of the direct course ; 

15 



170 



and in a heavy gale of wind they would 
perish with fright, if nothing else. We 
ought, in my opinion, if we intend to fol- 
low up our humane intentions, heretofore 
evinced towards them, to point out some 
course that shall keep them within the 
limits of the trade winds, and land them on 
some island to leeward." 

J. Mills. « I was with lieutenant Cook in 
his voyage to this part of the world, in the 
year 1760. With the chart now before 
me, I think a northwest course would carry 
them in sight of Lagoon or Thrumb cap 
island, lying between eighteen and twenty 
south latitude, and distant hence perhaps 
five^ or six hundred miles only. If they 
were disposed to land on either of these 
islands, they could spend their days very 
comfortably there. I have been on both 
these islands and know them well ; and the 
chance of their being visited by European* 
is very small." 



171 

/. Williams. " To this also there is an ob- 
jection. On arriving at Lagoon island, they 
may be induced to keep to leeward, as there 
seems to be a chain of these islands, until 
thej find Otaheite or some place near it ; 
with which thej are acquainted '' 

^. Smith. " I think the plan of Mr. Mills 
the most practicable, notwithstanding the 
objections of Mr. Williams ; for if we give 
them the course northwest for Otaheite, 
leaving Lagoon island, they would continue 
the same course as directed by us ; and al- 
thouo:h there seems to be a number of isl- 
lands hereabout they cannot be in sight one 
from another : and these Indians, no doubt 
will continue the course we shall give them, 
and having; passed Lagoon island, they would 
probably fall in w^ith the island of Disap- 
pointment or king George's islands, laid 
down in commodore Byron's track across 
the ocean.'' 

F. Christian. ^' The proposition of Mr. 
Milb seems, in my view, the best that has 



172 

been oflered. I therefore submit it to 
vote, shall these Indians be instructed to 
steer north west ?" 

A general assent \^as given to this prop- 
osition and the meeting about to be dissolv- 
ed, when Mr. Edward Young desired to be 
heard a few words. 

**I perfectly agree with you all in this 
vote; but as the means of greater precau- 
tion, in case these wretches should be fal- 
len in with by civilized man, at some future 
day; I propose taking the compass we in- 
tend giving them, and to move the needle 
that is under the card, so that the north 
point of the needle shall stand under the 
north west point of the card, and give the 
natives the ^^est point of the card to steer 
by, which will in fact be north-west. Should 
they ever be called upon to state the point 
they have sailed on, it will be west by their 
answer and shewing, and this would evident- 
ly lead any one to seek us to windward, in 
the same latitude they found the natives 



173 

and this of course would be a wrong 
scenU" 

This was readily acceded to and execu- 
ted; all of us giving great praise to Mr, 
Young for his ingenuity. 

I proposed as another precaution, to give 
the natives what they should understand to 
be the name of the island we are now 
upon, writing '^ Marquesis'^ on a piece of 
paper, and giving them with a request that 
they would shew it to any of our ship« 
mates, they should chance to fall in with. 
This was as readily assented to, and Mn 
Brown observed the devil Avas in it if like 
hounds they were not *' at fault,'' should 
they attempt to pursue us. 

On the second day of March, 1791, the 
surf being very low, we hoisted a jack on 
the hill, and prepared every thing for 
launching. Our wives were well accommo- 
dated with seats, in a suitable situation, for 
15* 



174 

seeing the launch, and it had been a great 
matter of curiosity and inquiry with them, 
how the vessel was to be removed from her 
present situation. 

In about one hour from the time of hoist- 
ing the jack the natives arrived with all 
their moveables. Their own canoe was too 
large to be taken on board ; we therefore 
exchanged her for a smaller one. 

Captain Christian now took the chief into 
his house, and explained to him the point on 
the compass card he should steer by, which 
was west. He was told that by steering 
this course ten or fifteen days he would cer- 
tainly fall in with the land He gave him a 
box with a strip of paper in it marked W, 
pointing out to him a similar mark on the 
compass card, making the chief several 
times pronounce the word west, as the 
name of the point he was to steer by, until 
he should see land, wlien he could act sis he 
pleased. On another piece of paper was 



175 

printed with a pen " Marquesis,'' and on the 
other side of the same paper "Bounty," 
which he was requested to shew any white 
person he should see at Otaheite. 

By the aid of Mrs. Christian, as an inter- 
preter, he was made fully to comprehend 
the purport of his instructions. A pistol^ 
powder and balls were given him, that he 
might be enabled to preserve some authori- 
ty over his comrades, and with this present 
he was very much delighted. Our women^ 
such of them as were not in the secret^ 
gave him many messages to be delivered 
to their friends at Otaheite ; the recol- 
lection of whom caused some tears amongst 
them. 

The ofier was now made to the women^ 
that if any of them wished to return, they 
were now at liberty so to do; but to our no 
small satisfaction, although they had suita* 
ble feelings and affections for those left be* 
hind, they had no wish to leave their pres- 
ent residence. 



176 

We had built this vessel for launching 
head first, and the chief was instructed to 
sail round the west end of the island at a 
suitable distance, before he cornmenced 
steering the course given him. 

At 8 o'clock, the tice being up, and the 
natives on board, we split away the blocks^ 
when she went off with great velocity and in 
high style. The natives hoisted their sails, 
and giving them three hearty cheers, which 
they returned, we bid them a lasting adieu. 
One of our men volunteered to go to Horse 
shoe valley with a small flag, and watch 
them until out of sight ; observing to us, 
that he should keep the flag flying while 
they remained in sight, and haul it down 
when they could be seen no longer. In the 
middle of the afternoon, the flag was struck 
on the North centinel, and thus, to our 
great joy, these men were adrift, beyond 
the possibility of their return. 

We finished the day in feasting and danc- 
ing. Martin played the flute, Brown the 



177 

Tiolin, and Mills sung a good song. We 
feasted on turtle, fowl, and fish, quaffing 
the pure stream of Violet river, without 
any sensible diminution of it. We all slept 
soundly at night, keeping no watch as we 
had heretofore done, with arms in our 
hands, against the depredations of these six 
ungrateful villains, w^e were now so happily 
rid of; and I think no small credit is due, 
for the great forbearance we had shown to- 
wards them. 

Notwithstanding the cares of their fami- 
liesj our women had been very industrious, 
and brought much to pass. On the lots of 
ground around the village, w^e had the 
pleasure of seeing a goodly store of bananas, 
yams, sweet potatoes, beans, squashes, ^c. 
in great forwardness. A shed had been 
built for the purpose, and the forge set up, 
a few rods from the village, and Mr. Mar- 
tin, who had served sometime in his youth, 
at the business, acted as blacksmith ; mak- 
ing shovels, hoes, and such articles as w^ere 



178 

most wanted. We had plenty of sea-coal 
reserved from the ship ; and built a work 
shop adjoining, w^here each one occasionally 
exercised his ingenuity at making handles to 
our shovels and hoes, and benches, tables, 
and chests, for the convenience of our 
houses. 

The hogs, goats and fowls, we had let 
loose upon the island, were considered as 
common stock ; each one having reserved 
a proportion of these animals, for their prtr 
vate property ; and a great subject of ar- 
gument it made among the women, wdiose 
pig looked best, who had the most chickens, 
and whose goats gave the most milk. 

We were anxious to procure some of 
the ducks and teal we had seen in the pond, 
up the valley, for the purpose of taming 
them ; the river offering a fine place for 
the purpose. Ench one offered some |)ian to 
take tliem alive ; but Mr. Mills, who had 
the quickest thought, observed, '' we had 



179 

only to seek and bring home their eggs, and 
our own hens could hatch them.'* To this 
we could not object. 

I offered my services, accompanied by 
Mr. Williams, to furnish the supply Ave 
wanted • and providing ourselves with tools 
to make a canoe, and provisions for the 
voyage, we embarked in a canoe, for Indian 
village ; there intending to take up our 
residence, until we should have completed 
a small canoe, expressly to be used in the 
pond ; leaving our associates to commence 
the citadel^ we had intended to build at 
Horse shoe valiev^ not knowino; how soon 
we might be called upon to retreat to it 
for safety. 

On landing at Indian village, I was pleas- 
ed to find that the Indians had not been idle. 

Thev had cleared more land than we had, 

•I 

and the crop promised more abundance. 
The distance of the pond from the Tillage 
was about one mile. Making the Village 



180 

our head quarters, we began the canoe near 
the edge of the pond, where we found a 
tree suitable for our purpose, Vhich we soon 
completed, and landed on the island ; which, 
as had been before suggested, was the breed- 
ing place of these fowls ; and no art of man 
could have ever produced any thing so well 
adapted for the convenience and wants of 
these birds. 

Taking care not to disturb the birds, that 
were on their nests, we collected as many 
eggs as we could well carry. Among the 
eggs we collected, were some we supposed 
to be the eggs of geese, as we saw many of 
the latter birds on the north side of the isl- 
and swimming in the pond. We tarried a 
few days to weed and trim the grounds 
round the Indian Village ; and after a week's 
absence returned to our companions. 

The eggs were regularly shared among 
the women, who were given to understand, 
that the common hens would hatch them, 



181 

but the birds when hatched would be of a 
diiFerent kind. These ej^gs were received 
with much delight, and many bets made by 
the ladies, as to each other's success. 

I suggested to our captain the expediency 
of sending one family to take up their resi- 
dence at Indian village, for the purpose of 
taking care of the crops there. Two fami- 
lies would have done better, but we could 
not spare so many hands at present, as we 
were in haste to finish the citadel. 

Our captain had the power of ordering 
any one he chose on this service; but there 
were so many volunteers on this occasion, 
the difficulty was who should be gratified, 
which was finally settled by lot and fell 
upon Mr. Mc'Koy, who embarked the next 
day for the village, with as many leave- 
takings, OS if he were bound to some distant 
country forever. His wife and child accom- 
panied him in this excursion. 

16 



182 

The signals used by the British ships of 
war were in our possession, as also most of 
the flags necessary in using them. A copy 
of the signals and flags enough for the pur- 
pose were given him, by which he could at 
any time communicate with us from the ris- 
ing ground of East watcher. I found that lit- 
tle progress had been made on the citadel, 
during my absence ; the art of fortification 
being quite unknown to any of us. Some 
trees however had been cleared from the 
valley and a few huts erected after the 
Otaheitean fashion. 

Each one was working in his mind, how 
an ooening of twelve hundred feet could be 
fortified in such a manner, as that eight men 
could defend it, and how it could be done 
with the least possible labour. After many 
debates and many plans and schemes, it was 
agreed that the wood in front of the pass 
should be cut down, that an enemy should 
not have the advantage of this concealment, 
as he advanced to attack us. 



183 

The plan however finally adopted, in 
which each of us claimed some share, as to 
the contrivance, was to leave a double row 
of trees standing in the mouth of the pas- 
sage, forming an obtuse angle with the cen- 
ter of the passage way; and to fill the va- 
cancies, between the trees with smaller 
ones, that could be transplanted with ease : 
making the whole a solid fence or barrier 
with posts driven strongly between the 
trees. At the aforesaid angle, in the cen- 
ter, we proposed building a small battery, 
of the trees we had already felled, in such 
a manner, as the guns in it could be brought 
to ranffe in a line with each row of trees, 
taking an enemy in flank, on the right or 
left of the battery ; the whole to be 
mounted with two four pounders and six 
swivels. 

We found a suitable place, near the sum- 
mit of the North and South centinels, for 
a battery of one four pounder each, so situ- 
ated as to play on the outside or inside of 



184 

the citadel. Should an enemy carry the 
lower battery, it would be of no advantage 
to him, as our men retreating by passes, 
unknown to the enemy, could join their 
comrades on the hill, and make the victory 
a dear one. This being the best plan we 
ignoramuses in the art could suggest, we 
set about completing it with alacrity, Wil- 
liams drily observed, that we should want 
more rope than could be mustered, to hoist 
the guns up the centinel, as he saw no 
place to hook the tackle to, but the moon. 

And here w^as another exercise of our 
ingenuity ; for at first view, the difficulty of 
raising the guns to so great a height, did not 
appear; but on second thoughts, the meth- 
od of doing it did not immediately present 
itself. We determined, however, to get 
them up somehow or other, if possible. 

The places in the centinels, intended for 
the guns, were about 160 feet perpendicular 
from the ground, where the rock left a suf- 



185 

ficient platform for the working of a gun, of 
about thirty feet wide. The summit of the 
peak rose forty feet more, above the plat-^ 
form, in an irregular manner, and with 
many fissures in the sides. The centinels 
were not exactly alike ; the north one be- 
ing much more convenient and not so high 
by ten feet. 

Without giving a particular account of the 
various plans proposed of davits, dericks 
and parbuckles, I shall briefly relate how we 
did raise the guns to their present elevation. 
We took a five inch hawser, that formerly 
belonged to the Bounty, and made one end 
of it fast to a crag of the peak, near its sum- 
mit, which we could climb on the inside. 
The other end was hauled taught below, by 
a tackle fastened to a tree, at about three 
hundred feet from the base of the centinel. 
This inclined rope, standing like the main 
stay of a ship, passed over our platform at 
a sufficient height for our purpose. Fixing 
a large viol block on this stay, we hung the 
16^ 



, 186 

gun to the block ; and, by means of another 
tackle, hoisted the gun up the inclined stay. 
When the gun was over the platform, 
we eased away the tackle at the tree and 
safely landed it on the intended spot. 

With a little dirt sent up in this way 
we levelled the spot, and secured our guns 
by means of ring bolts, fastened in the 
rocks, and gun tackles, such as are used on 
board a ship : and when the gun was secur- 
ed, no one would ever suspect such a bull- 
dog there. 

The numerous fissures in the rocks serv- 
ed us for magazines, without labour, to de- 
posit our cartridges, rammers, wads and 
other materials. Having completed this 
retreat, we erected flag staifs on different 
parts of the island, in such places and posi- 
tions, as could be easily seen from any part 
©f the island, but not visible from the sea-? 
board. 



187 

June 1791. Winter had now commenced 
in this part of the world, and to us accus- 
tomed to colder weather the chmate was 
not disasjreeable : but the women having 
been accustomed to a warmer climate, made 
great complaints of the cold ; and now we 
found our seal skins of great service ; lining 
the inside of our houses with them, where- 
by the cold was much excluded. The rain 
fell in great quantities this month, and we 
found our huts, that would have answered 
ve^y well at Otaheite, poorly adapted to 
this climate. We had gathered and stored 
our crops, which repaid us well for our la- 
bour ; and Mr. Mc'Koy had returned to the 
society, having with some assistance, secur- 
ed the crop at Indian village. 

We were not idle during the winter, but 
each one was occupied upon some useful 
work ; such as clearing land of trees and 
bushes, for an enlarged crop the next seas- 
on ; mending and patching our houses ; and 
fencing our grounds j or upon some work, 



188 

that promised to be useful to himself or 
the community. We were sadly in want 
of boards. The only method, we had as 
yet adopted to supply this article, was the 
very tedious and laborious one of sawing 
them out by hand, with a common hand- 
saw. 

In rummaging over the stores of the 
Bounty, I found a pit saw, such as are al- 
ways sent on voyages of this kind ; and 
with the occasional help that was afforded 
me, I contrived to make this saw go by 
water. The work however was very clum^ 
sy, and not completed to saw a board with- 
out many alterations. We saved much la- 
bour by this saw-mill, which enabled us to 
make free use of boards, to the great im- 
provement and convenience ot our houses. 
In the medicine chest we found a bundle of 
flaxseed, and a small paper of oats, 
which we reserved for the planting season, 
and for which we prepared an additional 
(quantity of land, calculating much on the 



189 

advantages we should derive from both the 
flax and oats. 

We were all invited to a conference at * 
the captain's house, on the first day of July, 
upon a subject many of us had long had in 
contemplation. Being assembled at the ap- 
pointed time, captain Christian observed, 
that the compact we had made on board 
the Bounty, at Otaheite, had answered all 
the purposes it was intended for thus far ; 
but from the increasing state of the commu- 
nity it could not long be governed by such 
an instrument, as we had signed our names 
to, especially Avhen the community should 
be increased to any considerable number. 

He was therefore of opinion that it was 
yncumbent iipon us, not only for the good 
order of ourselves, but of those who may 
come after us, to frame a system of laws, as 
simple and concise as in our ignorance of 
politics could be devised, stating clearly the 
manner in which we shall agree to be gov- 



190 

erned, and framing such laws upon the 
strength of this agreement, as should best 
tend to good ord^r, morahty and industry. 
This he thought was highly necessary ; for 
a community without some restraints, and 
laws for its guidance, would be like a ship's 
crew without officers, all anarchy and con- 
fusion ; an instance of which was too recent 
in their knowledge to have been so soon 
forgotten. With patience and application 
we could accomplish it ; and when complet- 
ed, if not the best, it would certainly, if bad, 
be better than none. It was a duty we 
owed our descendants, and was probably 
the chief thing that defined the difference 
between civilized and savage life. 

The task of forming what, perhaps with 
propriety, ought to be called a constitution, 
was given to captain Christian, myself and 
Mr. Young ; and although all of us were as 
ignorant of political government, as we were 
of the art of fortification, yet we adopted 
the following constitution, without any de- 



191 

bate, except some slight objections to the 
titles of commodore, captain and master, as 
not perfectly applicable to an establishment 
of this kind ; but admitted as applicable to 
the usages and customs of sailors, in whom 
such a deviation could be excused. We all 
signed our names to the instrument, and as 
yet have seen no cause to alter, or repent it. 

1st. " We whose names are hereunto 
subscribed, do set forth and declare as fol- 
lows. That we owe allegiance to no prince, 
or potentate whatever, nor will we volunta- 
rily resign our present freedom and inde- 
pendence to become the colony or subjects 
of, do homage, or acknowledge allegiance 
to any principality, or power, on earth, oth- 
er than this instrument may purport. 

2d. That the island, on which our lot is so 
pleasantly cast, shall be called Pacific Island, 
in commemoration of the good fellowship, 
and harmony that has heretofore prevailed 
among us, and of the ocean in which it is sit- 
uated. 



192 

3d. That we will have one chief ruler, 
whose title shall be, in the sailor phrase; 
Commodore. He shall be chosen lor life — 
and in case of vacancy, his place shall be 
supplied by that candidate, who shall have 
the majority of votes of all the male in- 
habitants, that shall have arrived at the 
age of eighteen, on the island. His duty 
shall be to look after and guard the general 
interest of the community — and he shall be 
commander in chief, both in a civil and 
military capacity. 

4th. The second in command shall have 
the title of Captain. He shall attend the 
enforcing such laws, which shall be made 
from time to time. He shall assume all the 
powers of the commodore, on his incapacity 
to act. He shall be one of the commodore's 
council, and shall attend for that purpose 
when called upon. This officer may be 
displaced by the vote of seven eighths of the 
male inhabitants, allowed to vote for the 
commodore. 



193 

5th. The third in command shall have 
the title of Master. He shall be consider- 
ed as one of the council, and shall attend 
when called upon. He shall act as judge in 
all cases not criminal, and there shall be no 
appeal from his decision. He shall hold his 
office, as to the time of its duration, on the 
same terms as the captain. 

6th. Their shall be a Secretary chosen 
and appointed bj the commodore and coun- 
cil, whose duty shall be to keep a record of 
all the laws, public acts, marriages, deaths, 
and weddings on the island. He shall 
bring to trial all criminals, which shall come 
within his knowledge. He shall collect the 
evidence necessary for the prosecution of 
them before the proper tribunal. He shalj 
collect, and safely keep all the funds of the 
community. He shall keep a fair account 
of the same, and settle his accounts yearly 
with the council. 



n 



194 

7th. The commodore and council may 
appoint other officers, in addition to the 
foregoing, as their services may be wanted ; 
defining their duties and compensation, m 
a warrant issued under the seal of the 
island signed by the commodore and sec- 
retary. 

8th. Every male inhabitant of sound 
mind, and having arrived at the age of 
eighteen, shall be entitled to a vote in 
forming the laws of this community, until 
such male inhabitants shall exceed the num- 
ber of thirty ; and when by the secretary's 
records, such excess shall appear; the name 
of every male inhabitant as above describ- 
ed shall be put into a box, and on the six- 
teenth day of October yearly, there shall 
be drawn from the box by the commodore, 
captain, or master, in a public manner, the 
names of ten men, which ten men when so 
drawn, shall to all intents and purposes rep- 
resent the whole community in forming laws, 
and voting for commodore, captain and mas- 



195 

ter : and a majority of these ten men shall 
be considered a majority of all the legal 
voters on the island. 

It shall be the duty of the secretary to 
add such names to the box, as shall have 
arrived at the full age of eighteen, in addi- 
tion to the ten previously drawn, on the 
' fifteenth day of October yearly, in a public 
manner and at noon day. These tea men 
shall be called the Assistants ; and when 
the commodore and council shall find it nec- 
essary to frame newlavi^s, or repeal, or alter 
old ones, their attendance shall be required 
at the council board, and when they shall 
be equally divided on any subject, the coun- 
cil shall be entitled to vote individually 
and at all times to debate on the subject iu 
discussion. 

9th. All public acts, commlsions, and 
warrants shall be stamped with the seal 
of the island, which seal shall be in the 
keeping of the commodore: Said seal shall 



196 

be one half inch in diameter, bearing the 
device, a hatchet grasped by two hands, 
at the handle the words, « Pacific Island, 
1790," above ; underneath the motto — « iron 
and labour better than gold and indo- 
lence." , 

We were constantly called upon to exer- 
cise our ingenuity on one thing or another 
How to make the seal Avas now the ques- 
tion, and now wanted, to give sanction to 
the foregoing instrument ; our blacksmith 
declaring positively he could not execute it 
in iron. But with a piece of iron forged to 
the intended shape and size, with much cut- 
ting, punching, filing and polishing, some- 
thing was produced, that came as near the 
thing Avanted, as our art and materials could 
produce. There was but one thing to rec- 
ommend it, which was the great difficulty 
any one would find in making a similar seal. 

Acting upon the foregoing instrument, we 
unanimously made choice of Fletcher Chris- 



197 

tian as commodore, Alexander Smith as 
captain, and Edward Young as master. 
These three in their turn made choice of 
John WilHams, secretary. Our proceed- 
ings being made known to the ladies, they 
insisted upon celebrating the day with feast- 
ing and dancing, making a voluntary oflfer to 
commence building a magnificent council 
house the next day, wherever Ave should 
think besl: to have it erected ; to be partic- 
ularly appropriated for the government to 
hold their sittings. 

Their offer was accepted ; the ladies 
however claiming the privilege of building 
it after ther own form and manner, and giv- 
ing such a name to the edifice, when com- 
pleted, as they themselves should agree 
upon. As this stipulation was not unreas- 
onable, we made no objection. A spot was 
designated, near the foot of Landmark hills, 
sufficiently elevated to give a view of the 
river, and Pyramid hill in front. At a dis- 



17*^ 



198 

tance up the valley the water fall could ht 
seen, and on the right lay the citadel 

Here the women, headed by Mrs. Chris- 
tian (who assumed no little consequence to 
herself, as being the wife of the commo- 
dore) the next day commenced the building. 
Choosing a perfectly strait cocoa-nut tree 
for the center, posts were driven into the 
ground, in a complete circle round this cen- 
ter, and at the distance of fifteen feet from 
it^ and of the height of eight feet, inclining 
the roof in a point towards the tree, and 
securing the rafters firmly to the tree after 
the fashion of their own country. 

The roof they were at great pains to 
thatch very thick and strong ; and extend- 
ing it two feet beyond the circle of posts. 
The whole circumference, which measured 
ninety feet, they divided exactly into nine 
parts, making nine doors of wicker work 
and nine windows of the same, carefully 
thatching the intervals as they had the 
roof. 



199 

We had found, some time previously to 
this, an excellent quarry of slate, that broke 
perfectly free and true, not far up the hill, 
in the rear of the new building. The inte- 
rior of the building they handsomely laid 
with these slates, and covered the whole 
with mats, made expressly for the occa- 
sion. 

None of us were allowed to go near the 
edifice, while it was building ; and to grati- 
fy them we honourably abstained from any 
interference whatever. Mr. Mills being a 
great favourite with the women, he was 
frequently called upon for his assistance^ 
having been previously bound to secrecy. 

On the first day of August, we were in- 
vited to take possession of the house : Form- 
ing a procession at the village, of each man 
his wife and child, we proceeded through 
the woods, until the building broke upon 
our view. We were all much astonished 
at the taste and convenience evinced in this 



200 

building ; but our astonishment was much 
greater, when madam Christian, with 
young Christian in her arms, attended by 
Mrs. Smith and Young, proceeded to hoist 
a handsome flag to a staff, Mr. Mills had 
erected for them, on the top of the tree, 
forming the centre of the building ; request- 
ing us, at the same time, to consider the flag 
as the standard of the island. The flag was 
made from spare bunting of the Bounty's 
stores, two red and white longitudinal stripes, 
with a blue union, containing eighteen stars ; 
nine red, and nine white. Its signification 
was very evident and yerj appropriate. 

When the flag was up, madam Christian 
observed it was the wish of the ladies, that 
the building should be called ^' the round 
house,'' which name it has held ever since^ 
Dinner was prepared for us, under a tent 
made of sails, and the day passed pleasantly 
and happily. The ladies gave much credit 
to Mr. Mills, for the readiness with which 
he assisted them ; and we complimented the 
ladies much on their patriotism and skill. 



201 

Mr. Williams observed, the round house 
was much like John O'Groat's house, on the 
north end of Scotland, where in former days, 
eight men of the Groat family assembled, 
once a year, to feast and make merry, never 
failing to end in a dispute as to precedence 
at the table. One of them, wiser than the 
rest, pledged himself, that if they would sus- 
pend their animosities until the next, they 
should not find cause for these yearly disputes. 
He accordingly, before their next meeting, 
completed a new building with eight sides, 
eight doors and eight windows, with a table of 
eight equal sides in the center, which effec- 
tually ended the dispute. The house stands 
on a hill, in the north part of Scotland. 
Vessels passing the Penlland frith, can see 
it, and it is universally called John O'Groat's 
house. 

We had now much work on our hands, 
besides the daily occupation necessary to 
our daily comfort and existence. As the 
season was near at hand for planting, we 



202 

were solicitous to prepare as much ground 
as possible. The slow and laborious method 
of grubbing up the earth with a hoe or 
spade, induced me to reflect upon the great 
advantages of a plough, over this slow and 
tedious method; and the plough running 
much in my head, I couy not divert my 
thoughts to any thing else, 

I found no difficulty, with the assistance 
of the forge, to make the plouq^h, and abso- 
lutely began the work, before I had devised 
any plan for using it ; trusting to that sud- 
den flash of liorht which had so often help- 
ed me out, on similar occasions, to assist me 
on this. The plough was finished before 
this flash of lio-ht had evinced itself: and 
many jokes were passed upon me by my 
shipmates. I tried goats — but after much 
drilling, coaxing and beating, I found they 
had not the strength to move it even ia 
soft ground. 

Had I set my thoughts in the tr?iin, that 
reason finally suggested, 1 should have come 



203 

to a result long before — but my thoughts 
had never as yet wandered from a plough, 
to find the means of using one. But when 
I finally asked myself the question, how are 
heavy bodies moved ? 1 soon found the an- 
swer. This taught me at the same time, 
that there was a system of thinking, as well 
as in acting, to come at certain conclusions 
A cart is moved by oxen and horses. I was 
not in possession of either animal to move 
a plough* A hogshead is moved by rolling, 
^c. — this would not do. How is a ship 
moved ? By wind — not always — sometimes 
she is moved by warping, as the term is. — 
Can I warp a plough ? Yes — -and here was 
a flash of light on the subject. 

When the ship moves heavily, the warp 
is taken to a windlass, which adds manifold 
to the power. I will have a windlass to the 
plough, fixing it across the two handles^ with 
permanent spokes, whereby to turn it, wdth 
a rope fast at one end of the field, the 
plough at the other end, the rope passing 



204 

throuffh a block at the tongue of the plough, 
and round the windlass ; by turning this 
windlass I • have a great power, and the 
plough must move. 

I fixed my plough after this manner — and 
two men could turn more ground with it, 
than six men could in the same time with 
their hoes. We had two ropes of sixty 
fathoms each, by which the plough wa9 
moved across the lot, changing the end of 
each rope as we progressed, to the breadth 
of the next furrow, and securing it to the 
ground by a stick in the form of an anchor, 
taking over the slack end of the rope not in 
use, to return by. Ploughs became much 
in fashion, and the women proposed preserv- 
ing the first one made, as a curiosity to be 
handed down to posterity. 

I have now given you, my children, the 
basis of our government, and the fountain 
whence our laws have originated. It would 
be useless to repeat them here, as you have 



205 



free access to the public journals, where 
you will find them all recorded. 



tP ^ "A* 



[Here we find another break in the pa- 
pers, or Smith did not enter into the mi- 
nutio3 of daily transactions, which could not 
afford much instruction or entertainment, 
after what has been already written. It 
w^ould perhaps have been more correct, to 
have stated in the preface, that the papers 
received by the publisher were loose pieces, 
which seemed to have been written from 
time to time, and probably had been copi- 
ed by some other hand, into a regular book, 
and these pieces after they had been cop- 
ied, thrown into the chest, they were tak- 
en from. 

If such, which is highly probable, were 

the case ; the deficiency is in some meas- 

ure accounted for, upon the probability that 

Smith discontinued the chest, as the repos- 

18 



206 

itory of the loose sketches, that had been 
previously ccpied.It is not probable thatbinith 
wouKl relate circumstances of liis life to be 
handed down to posterity of small or un- 
interesting moment, and that took place 
during the jjerfect recollection of his chil- 
dren. Upon the whole it would Hot be im- 
probable to suppose, that he did not write 
during the interval of time that seems 
to have elapsed, without notice of any oc- 
currence.] 

The next date found is December twen- 
ty seventh, 1795. In the morning early a 
sig-nal was hoisted at Pyramid hill for '' a 
sail in sight steering towards the island." 
I immediately repaired to Ii'idian village, 
accompanied by all the women and some 
of the chilJrcn, to receive the visitors, if 
they should land, and tell the story, which 
had been previously agreed upon, in cases 
of this kind : " That Christian wms no 
more, having died a natural death ; that all 
the other white men were murdered by 



207 

the Indians, that came from Otaheite in the 
Bounty ; and that the L dians in their turn, 
had been murdered by the women ; and 
that only myself, the women and children 
present, were alive on the island,'* 

The commodore with the other men^ and 
the remainder of the children re [-aired to 
the citadel to act as occasion might require. 
This vessel passed by at the distance of six 
leagues taking no notice of us. 

In August, 1796, a second vessel passed, 
when the same precautions were taken by 
us as before. In June 1799, a third vessel 
passed near enough for us to see the men 
on her decks ; but as the surf was at that 
time very high, our dvVellings not visible 
from the seaboard, and no smokes appear- 
ing, she also left us without making an at- 
tempt to land. 

We had made it a rule, for many years, 
that no fires should be kindled on the isl- 



208 

and, until liberty was given from the look 
out, by hoisting a red flag, the signal that 
^'no ship was in sight;" and when the 
Blue Peter, as it was called, was hoisted at 
the look out, the first thing to be done, was 
to extinguish the fires, that ships in sight 
might not see these signs of inhabitants. 

1 took up my quarters about this time, 
altogether at Indian village as a matter of 
choice and policy. The commodore had 
placed his son under my instruction and 
care, with some other young men. Our 
village formed a little square, with poultry 
m the center. It was the only visible 
place to land ; and I could see the ocean 
to a greater extent, than any where else. 

Here I should always be at my post in case 
of alarm, and could pass the village, on a visi- 
tor, as the only one on the island. The best 
place to land on any part of the island was at 
the mouth of Violet river ; but this did not 
appear from the sea board. The river 



209 

emptied itself into the ocean, through a 
perpendicular fissure in the rock, about 
twenty feet wide and the same in heigiit. 
We had proposed to fortify this hmding, in 
the first year of our coming here ; but con- 
cluded it better to fix a canvass to imitate 
the rock, that should be extended, in case 
of alarm, from side to side, when no ope- 
ning could be seen ; the whole presenting a 
blulFof continued rock.* 

February, 1808, the Blue Peter was again 
hoisted on the look out, with the addition of 
a Blue Jack, meaning landing practica!;)le. 
Our whole number at this time amounted to 
seventy souls. O.ie half the children and 
all the women repaired to Indian village, 
there to pass, as the whole population. 
And now curiosity having got in some meas- 
ure the better of our fears, I was instructed 
to attempt some communication with this 
vessel, if possible, and learn what was doing 
in the great world. 



18* 



210 

The commodore took his station as here- 
tofore, at the citadel, now too strong in 
numbers and situation to be in much fear. 
I was at great pains to instruct the young 
men and women, in the story to be told, 
should these strangers land, impressing it 
strongly upon them, that our preservation 
entirely depended upon establishing this 
fact, in the minds of our yisitors- 

I could plainly perceive this to be an 
American vessel by her bright sides, and a 
certain air peculiar to such vessels. When 
|hey had approached the island near enough^ 
I dispatched three young men to invite the 
captain on shore, and impress upon him the 
impossibility of landing, in his own boat, 
through the surf. The lads returned twice 
without the captain, with an invitation to me 
to come on board the ship. This I of 
course declined. 

The third return of the boat brought cap- 
tain Folger, of the ship Topaz of Boston, on 



211 

a sealing voyage. He seemed much 
astonished at our settlement, as well he 
might. He observed that the whole seem- 
ed like paradise, or the work of enchant- 
ment ; it was so unexpected to him, to find 
an island thus alone in the great ocean, that 
he had every reason in the world to suppose 
desolate and uninhabited, so agreeably set- 
tled, and by a race of people too, who could 
speak fluently his own language. 

I invited him into the house, and set 
before him such fruits as were in season, 
and such refreshment as was in our power. 
I told him the dismal tale that had been 
prepared for the occasion: That Christian 
was dead, and my other shipmates murdered 
by some native Indians, ^c. He listened as 
well as a man could, w^hose every feeling of 
delight, curiosity and excitement seemed to , 
be wrought up to the highest pitch imagina- 
ble. The girls mustered thickly round him, 
and they seemed equally pleased with each 
other. -^ 



212 

After relating to him, in as brief a man- 
ner as possible, ail of consequence for 
hiiii to know, I askod him if he had 
ever heard of captain Khgh. '^ Yes, fre- 
quently," was the reply. '" Captain Bligh, 
with all his boat's crew, except one, had 
arrived in safety at the island of Timor, 
and thence taken passage for Batavia 
and England ; at which latter place, twelve 
of the whole number saved in the boat, 
had arrived in safety." 

" A vessel called the Pandora, had been 
sent out to Otaheite, for the mutineers, and 
had apprehended all of them that w^ere 
alive, except nine, that had left the place in 
the ship, under command of Christian, and 
that neither ship or Christian had been heard 
of since. The Pandora had the misfortune 
to be cast away, on some sand Keys near 
New Guinea, where some of the mutineers 
w^ere drowned. Those of the crew and 
mutineers saved from the wreck, proceeded 
in the boats to Timor, and thence to Eng- 



213 

land, in a Dutch ship, where the mutineers 
were tried; a few of them were executed ; 
the rest acquitted, or reprieved.'' Captain 
Folger could not recollect the names or num- 
ber of those executed, but thinks there were 
but three that suffered. 

Of my own country I enquired. He told 
me they had adopted a republican consti- 
tution, and had chosen Washington for their 
first president, John Adams had succeeded 
him, and at the present date^ Thomas Jef- 
ferson was president. He gave me many 
particulars of the revolution in France, and 
of the battles by sea, of Howe, Duncan and 
others. 

We filled two canoes with fruit, hogs and 
fowls, for the ship ; and 1 gave captain 
Folger the azimuth compass, and captain 
Bligh's chronometer, on his requesting 
some trifle to prove he had fallen in with us ; 
and with many hearty shakes by the hand, 
and many adieus from the girls, he left uSj 



214 

evidently with great reluctance; but sacri- 
ficed his enjoyment to thdt dufj. ship mas- 
ters so scruHilofisly perform, where their 
owners' interest is concerned. 

His stay on the island, was about six hours ; 

( and in return for our civ ihties, he oiFere d us 

any thing his ship could furnish. He would 

have sent us some wine and liquors ; but 

these I forbid the ladd to take. 

The Topaz soon filled away, on receiv- 
ing her captain on board, and left us perhaps 
forever. As I was situated near three miles 
from the main village, I communicated by 
signal to the commodore, the substance of 
what is here written, sending his son at the 
same time to give a particular account to his 
father of all that had taken place. 

The next day the men came over to visit 
me to glean what had not been collected 
from other sources, and talk over this mem*- 
orable event. We concluded our scheme 



215 

had been a good one so far ; and it was 
highly probable from the story which 
should be told by captain Folgei ^ on his re- 
turn, that the British government would not 
disturb an individuab situated as I seemed 
to be, when they might think it of conse- 
quence to send after nine men, and the 
ringleader amongst them. 

The commodore was very much pleased 
with the Topaz, having had a fair view of 
her from the* citadel. He had no idea the 
Americans had arrived at so much perfec- 
tion, in ship building and seamanship ; and 
was sorry to say his own country merchant 
vessels suffered much in th^ comparison. 
The vci^s^il \ 1 drifted to leeward and the 
officer on board found it necessary to work 
to windward to maintain his original position. 
This he ob-erved was done with as much 
precision and adroitness, as the most fini? ; -. 
ed LUitish frio-ate could have done ; and it 
would have been a great gratification to 
have gone on board and inspected every 
part of her. 



216 

The visit cf captain Folger has been con- 
sidere J, as it were, a new era on the island. 
It furnished a subject of much conversation 
to the men ; and an inexhaustible source of 
inquiry from our children, as to the man- 
ners and customs of other countries. Our flax 
and oats had succeeded wonderfully. We 
had taught the method of preparing the 
flax; made spinning wheels, and by prac- 
tice the women learned themselves to spin 
and weave. The cloth thus made was in 
much higher estimation, than that made 
from the cloth or mulberry tree. 

Our police laws had made it indispensa- 
bly requisite, that every male and female of 
five years old and over, should be covered 
from the neck to below the knees, when- 
ever they appeared outside their dwellings, 
and I was sorry to see durin<? the visit of 
captain Folger, that some of our women 
took advantage of this law within a dwel- 
ling, to display in an attempted careless 
manner more of their forms than usual, yet 
net enough to be deemed immodest. 



217 

The manufactory of linen led to other 
wants. Soap was made to wash with, and 
all the ashes used in cooking carefully pre-» 
served for that purpose. We had now 
many young men able to lend a helping 
hand at any thing. With some instruction 
they had formed a most delightful bathing- 
house for the girls. 

It was thirty feet diameter, six (eet deep 
in the center, and but two feet deep at the 
circumference, and the bottom covered with 
slate. It had but one door, and was lighted 
from the roof. On the inside was a paved 
walk, three feet wide all round the build- 
ing. It was supplied with water from Vio- 
let river, and could be filled or emptied in 
thirty minutes. 

From two boxes of copper, found on 
board the Bounty, we coined money qnough 
for the purchase of sniall articles. The 
largest piece coined was called a tender, 
and of the value oi a female healthy goat 
by law. This was divided into halves^ 
J9 



218 

quarters, eighths, and sixteenths, or rather 
coins of that proportion. On one side of 
each piece was the arms of the island, on the 
reverse the name of the coin. 

We had built a church in a pleasant sit- 
uation, and affixed to it the bell of the 
Bounty. In this church prayers were read 
on Sundays from the common prayer book, 
and an extemporaneous address given by 
one of the government, containing exhorta- 
tions to morality, as the surest way of ren. 
dering themselves acceptable to their Heav- 
enly Father. The goodness of God was 
impressed upon them rather than his ven- 
geance. They were taught to consider him, 
as the author and giver of every blessing 
they enjoyed. 

The golden rule was held up to them, to 
do as they would be done by, and to love 
their neighbours as themselves; this rule 
comprehending all on their part, to entitle 
them to the perfect love of their Heavenly 
Father. Morality was enforced upon them, 



219 

as bringing its own reward, and further elu- 
cidated by some example of real life. 

The question was asked, if you cultivate 
with great toil and labour a garden, plant 
it with the various fruits, it is capable of 
producing, what is your reward ? *' The 
fruit it produces certainly." So with the 
human heart; if you cultivate a good, kind 
and benevolent feeling, one towards anoth- 
er, ifurings with it the reward of peace, 
confidence and a reciprocity of good ac- 
tions. 

I shall here relate a singular fact, which 
will tend to shew that my shipmates were 
not totally depraved^ or if they had not a 
due sense of right and wrong in all points, 
they had some scruples in others. When 
the mutiny took place on board the Boucity, 
it was not possible for those in the boat to 
take with them their chests and trunks, 
which were consequently left on board. 
When the Bounty was run on shore, these 
chests and trunks of the captain, officers, 



220 

and men were landed, without ever having 
been opened to this day. And although 
they undoubtedly contained many articles, 
which would be of great use to us, not 
one man amongst us but turns with disda"n 
from any intimation to open them, and con- 
vert the contents to common use. 

1 have often wondered, in my own mind, 
what principle could operate on the human 
mind to produce this effect. We may have 
all felt a pride to evince, that we have not 
been actuated by a sordid motive, in our 
conduct to captain Bligh anfl his officers, 
and the hope of gain or plunder was no in- 
citement to the act we committed. We 
may feel a repugnance to bring before our 
eyes proofs of an act, we have all since 
most heartily repented of. vSuch, however, 
is i:he fact ; and it has been seriously pro- 
posed to ship them, in the first English ves- 
sel which should stop here, to be returned 
to England; if not to the benefit -of those 
whose property they once were, yet for the 
benefit of their children and heirs. 



n 



221 

- January the first, 1810, was the first 
wedding of our descendants on the island. 
October Christian had for some years 
been engaged to my oldest daughter Re- 
becca Terapo Smith, Terapo being the 
name of her mother. The bride was dres- 
sed in garments, principally of her own 
manufacture ; a long loose robe of white 
linen, with a fine ruffle round the bosom, 
taken by Christian's mother, from one of 
her husband's best shu'ts; long loose sleeves^ 
tied at intervals with strings of blue linen, 
prepared for the purpose, as a substitute 
for ribbon. 

I objected strongly to colours on this oc- 
casion; but in this I was over ruled and 
laughed at by my wi fe, who had not lost 
the savage taste for colours, imbibed by 
her education; neither should we have got 
the robe on, if our police laws had not been 
in favour of it. 

A strip of light blue cloth was taken 
round the waist, crossed over the back, 
19* 



222 

shoulders and breast, and tied in a hand- 
some bow under the right arm. This was 
also a substitute for ribbon. Round the 
bottom of the robe and petticoat, a red 
stripe was artfully died ; handsome sandals, 
laced with yellow cord, round the feet and 
ancles, with blue bows interspersed; her hair, 
which was naturally of a glossy black, curl- 
ed gracefully over her forehead, and in her 
neck; round the head was wound many 
yards of braided hair, her mother had 
taught her to make, interspersed with real 
roses, and jessamine. 

Upon the whole she made a very hand- 
some bride ; and, as to movement, no queen 
co'jid w<.::e with more majesty and ease. 
She was attended by ten young women, 
dressed in white ; and but for the argument 
I made use of, that these ten ladies should 
be dressed p'ain, to shew off the bride to 
greater advantage, they would have added 
colours alac to theif dress. 



223 

I tried hard to reduce the number of 
special attendants to two; observing that 
only a queen would require so many. 
" Shall I not marry a prince and in conse- 
quence be a princess ?" I had better have 
held my tongue, and left them to manage in 
their own way. 

Christian was dressed in the uniform of 
a master's mate, which his father had pre- 
sented to him on this occasion ; he having 
been appointed to this office, as deemed 
necessary, sometime previously. The ser- 
vice was performed in the church, in pres» 
ence of almost every individual on the isl- 
and. The deed of a house and estate was 
presented to him by the commodore, and 
a very appropriate and suitable charge was 
given them, as a guide for their future con- 
duct in life. 

The day w^as passed in great harmony 
and rejoicing. The bride and bridegroom 
w^ere escorted \o the Indian villaoe, where 
the. estate lay, in the government canoe^ 



224 

decked out with most of our signal flags, 
by forty canoes. We bad a number of 
weddings this year, all of which may be 
found on record, but none of so great note 
as the foregoing. 

The task of teaching the children had 
heretofore devolved on me principally, until 
within these few years past. I had been at 
great pains to teach them every thing I 
knew myself, and particularly desirous that 
they should all be taught, and accustomed 
to, speak the English language. In this, 
however, we were not seconded by the 
women, who having the care of the children 
in their infancy, notwithstanding our remon- 
strances, would insist upon teaching them 
their mother tongue ; and now, although 
there are some, who can speak English very 
well, yet in general, among our descendants, 
a jargon has crept in, which is neither En*- 
glish nor Olaheitean, but such as each one 
understands — and 1 am fearful when the 
original settlers shall be numbered with the 



225 

dead, this, j argon Avill obtain the entire ascen- 
dancy* 

June, 1814. We were much alarmed, 
this day, by the disappearance of two of our 
children. The wife of the commodore hav" 
ing descended from an eminent chief at Ota- 
beite, bad brought with her all the aristoc- 
ratic feelings, peculiar to such a situation. 
These were not diminished by her being the 
-queen, as it were, of our island. The su- 
periority she assumed was submitted to 
liere, without opposition by the other women, 
as a matter of course, shewing the force of 
habit and early education. 

Mrs. Christian had a daughter, named 
Christiana Tirao Christian, whom her moth- 
er had educated with all her high notions of 
rank and superiority. The young lady had 
suffered herself to indulo^e an aifection fot 
the eldest son of Mr. Brown, named Wil- 
liam, who in his turn was strongly attached 
to the young lady. 



226 

Brown was a very handsome young man, 
and every way worthy such a .woman : 
but it seems, there had been a falHng out 
between Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Christian, 
which the latter would never forgive ; and 
on young Brown's offering to marry Miss 
Christian, her mother positively refused ; 
declaring her daughter should never marry 
so beneath her dignity. The commodore 
was perfectly satisfied with the offered 
match ; but he could make no impression on 
his inflexible spouse. And for the sake of 
peace in his family, forbore to urge a subject 
which bcemed to call forth the worst of 
feeling. 

Not so the young people : They both 
disappeared on the tenth day ot June, 1814. 
Brown's canoe was gone, and many articles, 
the property of both, were missing. This 
occasioned a great ferment and distress, 
among all classes. Parties were sent out in 
all directions to seek them; but no intelli- 
gence that could any way lead to a discovery, 
was made — and the fatal conclusion aUopted, 



227 

that, in a fit of desperation, they had com- 
mitted themselves to the ocean, in hopes of 
finding another island, where they could live 
unmolested in the society of each other. 

Many bitter waillngs and regrets escaped 
from Mrs. Cliristlan, at her own obstinacy, 
now unavailing. Her daughter was a truly 
amiable girl, and as well educated as the 
island could afford. She had been very 
useful in bringing forward the children, in 
reading, writing, and other instruction, and 
her loss was sincerely regretted both by the 
old and young. Brown was equally regret- 
ted by us all ; and would not have suffered 
in comparison with any young man on the 
island. 

September the seventeenth, 1814. The 
whole number of souls on the island at this 
date, as appears by the records, were one 
hundred and six, men, women and children ; 
not including our loss, as before related, in 
this number. The whole number of mar- 
ried couples, was twenty six. There have 



228 

been but ten deaths on the island : and of 
these, but one person who had arrived at 
mature age, the wife of Mr. John Mills. 
The other deaths were of children, from in- 
fancy to the age of six years. 

September the eighteenth, 1814. An 
alarm being given on the look out, of two 
ships in the otlmg, Mr. Young the master, 
ascended the hill with a glass, and reported 
them to be two British frigates. Our com- 
modore was somewhat moved by this intel- 
ligence. He oi'dered every man to his post; 
and presuming these frigates knew not of 
captain Folger's having been at the place, 
he ordered me to assume a new name, that 
the officers of these ships, not finding such 
a name on tlie list of mutineers, might not 
think it a duty to apprehend me. On the 
contrary, should they discover my real 
name, their duty might lead them to act 
otherwise. 

I accordingly assumed the name of John 
Adams, chargiiig the women and children 



229 

not to forget when addressing me, in pres- 
ence of strangers, by this new name. When 
the frigates were sufficiently near, I sent 
October Christian and Young, to board 
them, with the old story, except my new 
name. The lads soon landed with the cap- 
tain of each ship, the Briton and Tagus 
frigates. The surf being uncommonly high, 
they were completely wet through on land- 
ing- 

These gentlemen viewed us with surprise 
and admiration. We rejieated the story of 
the six Indians, before told captain Folger. 
They had not much to relate, in addition to 
what we had heard from captain Folger, 
except the war with Great Britain and 
America. We entertained them with all 
the hospitality we were capable of There 
were many articles, the produce of our gar- 
dens, pressed upon them ; But the surf was 
too high to carry much off to the ships, in 
our small canoes. After a short stay, they 
were safelj carried on board their ships, 
20 



230 

with all the apparent cordial leave-takings 
and good wishes, on such occasions. 

The canoe returned with some cooking 
utensils and other articles of use to us. The 
ships filled away before night, and left us, 
not so much regretted as our former visitor, 
although the women were much more de- 
lighted with them. The handsome uniform 
of the British navy, and the easy and gen- 
tleman-like manners of the officers, could 
not fail to please. Besides, the girls could 
not look into our fears, from visitors of this 
description. 

A cow, on board the Briton had forcibly 
attracted the attention of the young nien' 
and captain Staines, would have made us a 
present of her, had she been with young, or 
had been any prospect of increasing the 
stock. As it was, she could be of no man- 
ner of use to us. Our commodore was greatly 
relieved, when he saw the ships fill' away, 
and expressed a hope that they would never 
repeat their visit in his day ; and probably 



231 

they nerer will, this last being accidental 
altogether. 

A strange story was going the round of 
the island, at this time, which must have 
originated with Mc Quintal, who, in every 
other respect, was a good and intelligent 
man, but carried his superstition and belief in 
witches and witchcraft to an unwarrantable 
degree. This was no other than, that the 
island was haunted bj evil spirits. The first 
report arose from a story told by Mc Quin- 
tal himself, that, returning one night from 
Seal cove, with three young men, they were 
alarmed by the uncommon appearance of a 
fire, or illumination on the top of Seal island ; 
and at intervals the figures of men and 
women were observed passing through the 
fire — an unusual cloud of smoke, and smell 
of sulphur. 

These appearances so very alarming, Mg 
Quintal insisted, could be occasioned only by 
witches, that were roasting some victim by 
the fire, and dancing with delight at the tor- 
tures they inflicted : And by adding some 



232^ 

stories of his own, and enlarging on the ap- 
pearances, he so worked up his own and the 
young men's fears, they had hardly strength 
to reach the village. 

This story was soon in eyery body's 
mouth, and in a few nights verified by others, 
that had seen the whole as before related, 
with their own eyes. And now fear had so 
full possession of the Avomen and youth of 
the island, that no one would go alone to 
that part of it in the day time ; and some 
would not even leave their houses in the 
evening. The illumination on the high rocks 
of Seal Island, and shadows of men and 
women passing before it, became too well 
substantiated to be contradicted, and we 
puzzled our heads much to account for them. 

The whole island was evidently volcanic, 
and some flame might have broken out on 
the top or sides of it. In opposition to this 
solution, it was argued, that this being the 
case, the smoke would appear in the day 
time, which was not the case: Then again 
how to account for the fissures of men and 



233 



women. The numerous and grotesque fig- 
ures of the rocks might interfere, and throw 
their shadows on the light, and the flitting 
of the blaze by the wind, added to our im- 
aginations, might give them the appearance 
of motion. 

This however was not at all satisfactory 
to myself, who had with my own eyes seen 
the strange appearance. I determined to 
visit and explore this island, and if possible, 
find out the cause of this wonderful ap- 
pearance. Christian and Young, junrs. insist- 
ed upon going with me, with each a musk- 
et. I told them if they were real witches, 
their muskets "-would be of no use what 
ever, because witches could assume any 
shape^ and make themselves visible, or in- 
visible, at pleasure. '' Lay aside your musk- 
ets, lads, as useless; if they are witches 
they will do you no harm. I cannot solve 
the riddle ; but will do my utmost to clear 
up the mystery.'^ 

We landed on the island next day oppo^ 
site Seal cove ; thence it gradually ascend- 
20* 



«34 

€(], being covered thickly with such trees as 
grew on the main island. As we approach- 
ed the north part, the cliiTs of rock presea- 
ed a perpendicular barrier of immense 
height, reaching from shore to shore. 
*' Now my lads we must cli nb this rock/' 
Young observed, that a witch mi^ht climb 
it, by all account, but it was beyond the 
power of man to do. This we found the 
case ; after traversing it from shore to shore 
several times we quit it in despair. 

*' Well, lads, we will now row round the 
island; perhaps we can ascend from the 
sea side of it.'' But in this we were equal- 
ly unsuccessful. The failure of this expe- 
dition, as may be supposed, did not tend 
to allay the fears, already too prevalent ; 
we having returned without having effected 
the object of our search. 

Throughout my life I never encountered 
any thing so difficult to account for, not ad- 
mitting in my own mind the possibility of 
their being produced by supernatural 
means, as had been given into by others. 



235 



In this state of uncertaintj we continued 
many months, the strange illuminations and 
figures continuing to be witnessed, beyond 
doubt or illusion. 

We next heard of the witches at sea ; 
two lads having given chase to them in a 
canoe, near the island ; but the sudden dis» 
appearence of the canoe the witches were 
in, while the lads were in chase of them, left 
us all as much in the dark as ever. So 
great a bugbear had Seal island now be- 
come, that the whole promised to be a 
very disagreeable interruption to the hap«^ 
piness of the community. 

June, 1815. I was much surprised to 
find a letter under the door of my house, 
as I opened it in the morning, directed to 
commodore Christian. I hastened to Vio- 
let village with it myself. It had no date j 
but was written by William Brown, jun. and 
signed by himself and Christiana Tirao 
Brown, stating that they had been private- 
ly married, thirteen months before, by 
Master's Mate Christian, who was authori- 



236 

zed to perform such ceremonies ; that a 
regular record had been made of the mar- 
riage by the secretary; and fearing the dis- 
pleasure of Mrs. Christian would never be 
appea^^ed, if it wns made known to her^ 
they had left the island; not, however, 
without many regrets at the uneasiness their 
absence might occasion. 

After many confessions, as to the impro- 
priety of their conduct, and many promi- 
ses of good behaviour in future, they im- 
plored the forgiveness of their parents, and 
an oblivion as to the past. They would 
consider a white flag hoisted on the norfh 
Centinel, as a favourable answer to their 
petition; and when this signal should be 
given, they would on the following day give 
themselves up to their parents, and give 
their unfeigned thanks personally, for such 
an act of goodness towards them. 

So great w^as the impatience of all to 
see them, that the flag was immediately 
hoisted, and left flying all day. Many con- 
jectures, and speculations were in agitation 
all day^ as to where they could have con- 



237 

cealed themselves, for a whole year, when 
so much unwearied pains had been taken to 
find them. 

At my usual time of going to bed, I heard 
a light knock at the door. On opening it, 
who should appear but the parties them- 
selves, whom we did not expect until the 
morrow ! My surprize was as great, as if 
they had been restored from the dead ; for 
I had concluded long since in my own mind, 
that they had committed themselves to the 
ocean, with the chance only, and that a small 
one, of falling in with other lands, 

I took care of them this night ; and in 
the morning accompanied them to the cona- 
modore's house, where I witnessed a scene 
of joy, delight and happiness, too exquisite 
for my feeble powers to attempt a descrip. 
tion of After this tumult had somewhat 
subsided, curiosity demanded a share of grati- 
fication. The story was short. 

Brown stated, that " one day while fishing 
near Seal island, he discovered an opening 
ki the cliff, in which he had the temerity 



238 

to enter, although little larger than to ad- 
mit his canoe ; that following this passage 
in a zigzag course, for about one hundred 
fathoms, a new world broke on his view : 
a large bason of still w^ater, in front a beau- 
tiful white sandy beach, and an interval, 
covered with various kinds of trees, the 
whole valley containing about eighty acres. 
The bason was so full of seal and turtle, 
that he had some difficulty in landing clear 
of them. 

Making fast his canoe, he traversed this 
delightful vale, protected from intrusion on 
all sides, by perpendicular rocks. Several 
little rills of water flowed down the fissures 
of the rocks; and near the foot of the cliff, 
in one place, he discovered a boiling spring, 
that was probably heated by some internal 
fire. The whole spot ca[)able of cultiva- 
tion was of an oval shape, and, as he observed 
before, was about eighty acres, or of one 
half mile extent one way and one quarter 
the other. Having thoroughly explored 
this place, he attempted to return, but could 
Hot, the tide having filled the space, by 



239 



which he entered. The time was not un- 
pleasantly spent waiting the ebb of the tide, 
when he returned to the village. 

I know not, savs Brown, how I came to 
keep this discovery to myself; for not until 
the positive refusal of Mrs Christian to our 
union, did I cnntempJate the project, I put 
in execution. I had some difficulty in per- 
suading^ Christiana to acquiesce in my 
scheme. Having gained her consent, I 
commeuced preparing such necessaries, as 
we should want. 

I had saved a little money, with which I 
purchased some pigs and fowls— making fre- 
quent trips to the place under pretence of 
fishing— Jetting the fowls loose in the val- 
ley, first cutting their wings. On the day 
we disappeared from ihe village, Christiana, 
under pretence of a walk, met me at the 
cove. By some accident, she was not so 
early as appointed ; and the tide had risen 
considerably. I did not communicate my 
fears to her, but requesting her to lie down 
in the boat, I attempted the passage, in 



240 

which, however, I received several bad 
wounds in n:^ head, from the undertow heav- 
ing the boat against the roof of the passage. 

Here we built our hut, planted a garden 
and lived very happily together. I came 
near being discovered and overtaken, by 
some young men, fishing near the island, but 
escaped without being detected in our re- 
treat. The delusion of the witches must 
have been occasioned by the reflection of 
our fire (using a cavity in the rock to cook 
in) thrown on the opposite hills — and olar 
shadows intervening as we passed before it. 

I placed the letter under the captain's 
door myself. Our motive to this w^as prin- 
cipally with a view to have that assistance 
irom her mother and friends, which Mrs. 
Brown may soon stand in need of. I anx- 
iously watched from an eminence, I had as- 
cended, the concerted signal, and not waiting 
as proposed, landed last night at Indian 
village.'' 

END. 

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